Niger’s coup sparked major controversy during the past period after the military seized power due to insecurity and the economic situation.
Media reports claim that the military may seek to switch allegiance to Russia and close French and US bases there, as several people were seen waving Russian flags and chanting “Long live Putin.”
“I think what happened, and what continues to happen in Niger, was not instigated by Russia or by Wagner,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
However, no credible commentator has come out saying Russia is directly responsible for the toppling of Niger’s president Mohamed Bazoum.
On his part, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin welcomed Niger’s coup, yet, the group also hasn’t claimed involvement.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently announced that it will deploy a standby force, saying it hopes for a diplomatic solution to the situation in Niger.
Michael Shurkin, an expert in European defense and West African politics and security, commented on the current situation in Niger, stating that the ECOWAS and the military junta are in a “standoff”.
“There is very little likelihood of a diplomatic solution, I don’t see how the junta could be talked into backing down … the idea of military interventions seems horribly risky to me,” Shurkin highlighted.
On Friday, the European Union (EU) criticized the worsening conditions of detained Bazoum and called for his immediate release after he was deposed in a coup.
“Mohamed Bazoum and his family, according to the latest information, have been deprived of food, electricity, and medical care for several days,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell revealed.
In the meantime, West African military chiefs will meet on Saturday in Ghana following a summit that ordered the deployment of a “standby force” in the effort to resolve the Niger crisis.
The talks among chiefs of staff of the Economic Community of West African States will take place in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
It is worth highlighting that several military takeovers have taken place in West Africa since 2020; twice in Burkina Faso and Mali, respectively. Niger was one of the last pro-Western holdouts in the Sahel region.
