Politics

Niger Coup: Nigerians, Nigeriens protest over ECOWAS military intervention

Published

1 year ago

August 12, 2023

On Saturday, two days after West African officials, through ECOWAS opted to mobilize a “standby” force to restore the country’s ousted leader, Mohamed Bazoum, thousands of coup supporters demonstrated in front of a French military installation.

“Down with France, down with ECOWAS,” protesters screamed at the base outside of Niamey, the capital of Niger.

One of the protesters, and a member of a students’ union quoted in a report, Aziz Rabeh Ali said, “We are going to make the French leave! ECOWAS isn’t independent, it’s being manipulated by France.”

It would be recalled that thousands of pro-junta protesters marched in Niamey shortly after news about the coup broke in July, waving Russian flags and denouncing France. Paris has asked authorities to protect its diplomatic facilities in the country, threatening reprisals.

France, which has about 1,500 troops in Niger fighting armed groups in the Sahel, has had its continued influence in its former colonies in the spotlight lately. The West Africa subregion has had 5 coups in five countries in the last three years, notably in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Chad and the new kid on the bloc, Niger. And a wave of growing anti-France sentiments is common in all five countries, while all also have links to Russia’s mercenary group, Wagner.

Meanwhile, outside Niger, Nigeria, a subregional giant that shares its largest border of 1,608 kilometres (999 miles) in length with the troubled country, protests also broke out on Saturday in Kano, Nigeria’s cosmopolitan state in its Northern part. The protesters registered their displeasure at the planned military invasion of Niger.

The protests follow the decision by the leadership of ECOWAS on Thursday at its Extraordinary Summit ordering the immediate deployment of a standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger Republic following the expiration of its ultimatum.

The protesters were marching and screaming, “Nigerians are our brothers, Nigeriens are also our family.” They carried placards with the flags of Nigeria and Niger displayed alongside them while screaming anti-war slogans.

“Niger is ours, we don’t want war, war against Niger is injustice, a plot by the Western forces.”

Some notable leaders in Northern Nigeria have added their voices to the Niger situation, and played mediation roles against the backdrop of Nigeriens being neighbours with whom they share culture, region, and family heritage.

The Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, during the week, had met governors from Nigerian states bordering Niger Republic—Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Mai Malam Buni (Yobe), Idris Nasir (Kebbi) and Dikko Radda (Katsina). The outcome of their meeting was, however, not made public.

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Politics

Mali’s junta names spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new Prime Minister

Published

20 minutes ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A day after dismissing Choguel Maiga for criticising the government, Mali’s governing junta named its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as Prime Minister on Thursday, according to state broadcaster, ORTM.

A source close to Choguel Maiga told Reuters that the ruling generals were incensed by Maiga’s remarks over the weekend denouncing the junta’s inability to hold elections within the 24-month timeframe given for the return to democracy.

After promising to hold elections in February, the military authorities, who took control in two separate coups in 2020 and 2021, have put off the poll indefinitely, citing technological difficulties.

Choguel Maiga’s firing coincides with indications of growing discontent and disarray among Mali politicians, even those who first supported the coup and collaborated with the junta.

As the wait for elections continues, Choguel Maiga, a civilian prime minister who was installed by the military junta in 2021, is the most recent to lose support.

He was cited on Saturday as claiming he learnt of the junta’s decision via the media and that there had been no discussion regarding the delay of the elections inside the cabinet.

“It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Choguel Maiga told reporters.

Before then, he had frequently stood up for Mali’s junta against criticism from foreign friends and neighbours in West Africa who denounced its repeated election delays and military collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

As government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, the new prime minister, has also made strong public remarks against France, the previous colonial master. One such speech was demanding French President Emmanuel Macron to stop his “neocolonial” and “condescending” behaviour.

Abdoulaye Maiga and Assimi Goita, the leaders of the junta, announced they had kept all of the important cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new administration in a statement that was broadcast on state television ORTM.

The announcement said that Abdoulaye Maiga will remain minister of territory administration.

Politics

Congo opposition mobilizes protests against constitution review

Published

22 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In response to President Felix Tshisekedi’s intentions to amend the constitution, opposition lawmakers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have called for national protests on Wednesday.

Tshisekedi, who was sworn in for his second and last term in January, said that a panel would be formed in October to recommend possible constitutional amendments.

According to critics, it may be a ploy to lift term restrictions and give him another chance to run.

Tshisekedi said the current constitution, ratified by a referendum in 2005, needed to change because it did not align with the country’s current realities.

Opposition politicians, including former president Joseph Kabila and past presidential candidates Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi, issued a unified statement on Wednesday urging rallies to “block” Tshisekedi.

A request for a response from the Congo’s presidency was not answered.

Patrick Muyaya, the minister of communications, stated on Monday that discussions surrounding the constitutional revision should be de-politicized and that no one should doubt the president’s intentions.

“We’re at the beginning of our mandate… The President of the Republic still has four years to go, and we must avoid attributing intentions to him,” Muyaya told reporters.