The Niger Republic Coup leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has warned that the evicted president will be killed if ECOWAS attempts to force them out of power.
Niger’s junta told a top United States diplomat that they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if ECOWAS countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule, according to two Western officials.
According to the Associated Press, who claimed they were spoken to, they got the warning shortly before the West African bloc said it had directed the deployment of a “standby force” to restore democracy in Niger, without giving details about its make-up, location, or proposed date of deployment.
Representatives of the junta told U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week, a Western military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
A U.S. official confirmed that account, also speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
ECOWAS should mind their business and leave Niger to focus on their changes. Nigeria herself should be careful if not the level of Hunger and hardship might attract military coup.