By John Ikani
Hundreds of junta supporters gathered in Niamey, Niger’s capital, on Sunday, uniting in a rally to demonstrate their backing for the military junta.
Carrying both the national flag of Niger and the Russian flag, the demonstrators expressed their solidarity with the soldiers responsible for ousting their elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, just last month.
The event came in the wake of an announcement made on Saturday by Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, the military leader, where he cautioned against any external interference.
Gen Tchiani additionally unveiled a comprehensive three-year plan for transitioning, clarifying that the specifics for this transition would be determined within a month through a “dialogue” convened by the coup leaders.
During a televised speech shortly after his meeting with a peace delegation from Ecowas, the West African regional bloc, Gen Tchiani asserted the nation’s disinclination towards warfare, while simultaneously cautioning that they would safeguard against foreign intervention.
He openly criticized the sanctions imposed on the country by Ecowas, denouncing them as lacking a solution-oriented purpose and instead aimed at subjugating and demeaning them.
This served as yet another display of resistance, following Ecowas mediators’ engagement in peace negotiations with the junta leaders, in a final bid to arrive at a diplomatic resolution for the ongoing political turmoil.
Ecowas, standing ready with its standby force, has affirmed its willingness to intervene if peaceful attempts to alleviate the crisis prove ineffective.
