Politics

Niger puts army on ‘maximum alert’

Published

1 year ago

August 26, 2023

The military junta in Niger is not taking lightly the possibility of military intervention to remove it by foreign parties as it has ordered its armed forces to be on the highest alert.

The order was communicated in an internal document issued by Niger’s defence chief on Friday that a security source in the country confirmed was authentic.

According to the order, Nigerien troops are instructed to be on maximum alert so as to allow them to respond adequately in case of any attack and “avoid a general surprise”. “Threats of aggression to the national territory are increasingly being felt,” it said.

As the controversies around the recent coup in Niger continue, the General Tiani-led junta on Friday granted Mali and Burkina Faso’s armed forces permission to intervene in its territory in case of possible military invention being considered by subregional bloc, ECOWAS.

However, the bloc on Friday downplayed this threat and said it was “determined to bend backwards to accommodate diplomatic efforts,” though noting that military intervention remained one of the options on the table.

“For the avoidance of doubt, let me state unequivocally that ECOWAS has neither declared war on the people of Niger nor is there a plan, as it is being purported, to invade the country”, ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Alieu Touray told journalists.

Despite the growing concerns over military intervention, experts have warned that such a move is capable of escalating the security situation in the insurgency-torn West African subregion.

Related Topics:#niger ECOWAS Featured Military

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

4 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

5 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.