Deposed Niger President In Good Health, Says France
Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum is in good health after being taken captive by his own presidential guard.
The French foreign minister, Catherine colonna told AFP news agency the coup was not final.
She said Mr Bazoum had spoken to Emmanuel Macron and added there was a “way out” for the coup plotters if they listened to the global community.
On Thursday, coup supporters attacked the headquarters of the ousted president’s party, set it on fire, stoning and burning cars outside.
The army has now given its backing to the troops who detained Mr Bazoum on Wednesday.
The United Nations (UN) said it has suspended its humanitarian operations in Niger.
It is unclear whether the coup was the reason behind the suspension.
The UN has previously said more than four million people in Niger are in need of humanitarian assistance.
The takeover was announced by a spokesman, Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, who said the takeover was instigated by the deteriorating security situation “and poor economic and social governance”.
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But Niger’s private L’Enqueteur newspaper has suggested the coup was prompted by President Bazoum’s attempt to remove Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani as commander of the presidential guard.
The turn of events has split people in Niger – and some are shocked and upset.
While it was under way on Wednesday, hundreds of the president’s supporters defied the soldiers to to protest and call for the military to return to the barracks.
They dispersed after warning shots were fired – the only gunfire heard in this bloodless seizure of power.
“The coup is very regrettable. It makes me sad because I want the best for our country. Niger will regress now,”
Mustapha, a resident of Niamey sheltering at home with his wife and three-year-old son, told the BBC.
Niger’s Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou has called on the population to oppose the takeover.
In an interview with the channel France24, he said that the situation could still be resolved through dialogue and said envoys sent from neighbouring Nigeria were talking to the military.
Benin’s President Patrice Talon who planned to a mediation mission on behalf of the West African regional bloc, Ecowas, has had to abandon his trip because of the border closure.
The vast arid country on the edge of the Sahara desert – one of the world’s poorest nations –
has experienced four coups since independence from France in 1960, as well as numerous attempted coups.
