West Africa

The military regime in Niger said it is open to resolving the crisis through diplomatic means, the head of a delegation of Nigerian clerics reported on Sunday, the day after his visit to Niamey. Mr. Bazoum and his family have been held in the basement of his palace in Niamey, …

Niger’s ruling military leaders have announced their intention to prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and “undermining the country’s security”. In a statement read on national television, army spokesman Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane said they had gathered evidence against the ousted leader and referred to him as his “local …

After ECOWAS announced its decision to deploy a “standby force” in Niger, Russia announced that it opposed any military intervention in that country. The announcement comes after several countries around the world, including the UK, France and the US, said they supported any move by the West African regional bloc, …

West African army chiefs will meet in the coming days to prepare plans for a possible military intervention in Niger, ECOWAS spokesperson said on Friday. The ECOWAS bloc ordered the activation of a standby force on Thursday, two weeks after army ousted Mohamed Bazoum. The chiefs of staff meeting indicates …

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Friday expressed serious concern about the deterioration of the conditions of detention of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum. Mr. Faki Mahamat describes as “unacceptable” the treatment of Mohamed Bazoum by the military authorities who overthrew him. In the same statement, …

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States supports ECOWAS’ determination to explore all options for the peaceful resolution of the coup in Niger. The statement comes after the regional bloc approved a “standby” military force. He said the US would hold the Niger junta accountable for the …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ordered on August 10 the deployment of the organization’s “standby force” to restore constitutional order in Niger, without immediately specifying the form and the role of this deployment. The President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu, who holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, stressed …

At least 20 people were killed and others sustained gunshot wounds on Thursday after armed men attacked two villages in the north central state of Plateau, where violence between cattle herders and farmers is common, police said. Plateau police spokesperson Alfred Alabo said the attacks took place in the early …

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he was “concerned” about the conditions of detention of ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, and demanded his release. “Antonio Guterres denounced the deplorable conditions in which President Bazoum and his family would live,” the UN said in a statement. According to the …

Niger’s coup leaders on Wednesday accused France of violating the closure of Niger’s airspace and “liberating the terrorists”, which they say constitutes a real plan to destabilize Niger. “French forces took off on Wednesday from N’Djamena, Chad, a military plane at 6:01 a.m. local time,” said a statement from the …