Reports indicate that leaders of the coup in Niger Republic have conveyed a chilling message to a senior US diplomat, warning that they would take the life of the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum should neighboring countries engage in any military intervention.
According to details from the Associated Press (AP), the junta conveyed this ominous threat to two Western officials in the midst of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announcing the dispatch of a standby force on Thursday.
AP’s report reveals that representatives from the junta communicated this concerning development to Victoria Nuland, the US under secretary of state, during her recent visit to the country.
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A US official, choosing to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the information, corroborated the account, as per the report.
Aneliese Bernard, a former official of the US state department specializing in African affairs, voiced concern that these threats could dangerously escalate tensions from all angles.
Bernard commented, “However, given the junta’s rapid and aggressive actions thus far, it remains plausible that they could resort to even more extreme measures.”
In a released communique subsequent to the conclusion of a meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, ECOWAS reached several decisions aimed at addressing the crisis in Niger.
The regional bloc denounced the captive state of Bazoum and held the military government of Niger accountable for the well-being of the detained president, his family, and the democratically elected administration.
ECOWAS also instructed the commission president to oversee the enforcement of sanctions on Niger and mandated the activation of the ECOWAS standby force, including all its components, by the “committee of the chief of defence staff.”
Bazoum was overthrown in a bloodless coup on July 26, following which the junta established a cabinet to manage the nation’s affairs.
