The Military Council that seized power in Niger last week has accused France of intending to stage a “military intervention” to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to his duties, according to a statement read on national television on Monday.
The statement read, “In her search for ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France, in collusion with some Nigerien nationals, held a meeting with the National Guard Chiefs of Staff to obtain the necessary political and military authorizations.”
The Military Council stated that the ousted government had given France authorization to carry out strikes on the presidential palace in an attempt to liberate Bazoum.
The council, which has been holding Bazoum at the presidential palace since Wednesday, has previously warned against any external attempts to liberate Bazoum, emphasizing that such efforts would lead to bloodshed and chaos.
The statements were made on Monday by the spokesperson for the Military Council, Colonel Amadou Abdurrahman, on official television.
Abdurrahman said that the Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou had signed the authorization.
On its part, France has refused to comment on the news of preparing a military operation in Niger, affirming that President Mohamed Bazoum is the legitimate president.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron had threatened on Sunday to respond “immediately and forcefully” to any attack targeting French citizens and interests in Niger, where thousands of people demonstrated in front of the Paris embassy in Niamey.
The Kremlin Calls for “Restraint”
In the meantime, the Kremlin called for “all parties to show restraint” and to return to “legitimacy” in Niger.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed during his weekly press meeting via phone call, “What is happening there is of serious concern.”
He added, “We call for the fastest possible return to legitimacy in the country and for all parties to exercise restraint so as not to cause human loss.”
On Sunday, West African countries gave the military group in Niger a week to restore constitutional order, imposing an economic blockade and confirming that they do not rule out the “use of force.”
