One year afta Niger coup, how di kontri don cope?

E don reach one year since di presidential guard for Niger Republic turn against President Mohamed Bazoum and collect power from im hand, but di kontri fortunes still dey mixed.

Former Presido Bazoum and im wife still dey for military custody and dem no too get communication wit dia family and allies. Rumours be say dem fit charge am wit treason – and e fit face death penalty.

"Dem go try am for one special court wey no go eva dey independent or impartial, and if dem find am guilty, e dey at risk of death penalty by shooting. E dey safe to say rule of law no longer dey exist for Niger," Moussa Coulibaly, lawyer to di former presido tell BBC.

Di military regime, wey di oga na General Abdourahamane Tchiani, bin come to power wit plenty promise to stop di wave of insecurity, fix di economy and deliver social welfare to improve standards of living.

Di coup leader also show say dem no dey support di Western influence for dia kontri. In some months afta di coup, im don pursue French soldiers, and American and German troops also dey expected to comot for di kontri in di coming months.

E don strengthen ties wit Russia, Turkey and Iran.

Call for protests in Nigeria - Di issues Nigerians want goment to address

In di days afta di coup, plenty crowds come out for di streets of Niamey to show support for di military, and many of dem still dey support di military leaders.

"We no go ever turn back as far as di military position against international imperialism dey concerned," Rabiou Hassane, leader of di Students Association for Niger, tell BBC.

"Under di military junta, our working and living conditions don improve."

Djibo Bagna, wey be di head of di Niger Farmers' Platform Association, also praise di military goment, as e tok say dem don help to save di country and dia natural resources.

"Di military junta don stop all imperialist interference for Niger affairs," e tok.

However, e dey clear say di country still dey face plenty challenges.

According to di Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, di July 2023 coup don lead to "deterioration in security, economic well-being for Niger’s citizens".

Niger relationship wit most of dia neighbours don bad, and di kontri don join body wit dia fellow military goments for Mali and Burkina Faso, and dis don cause concerns across di region.

Di kontri problems even pass dia quarel wit dia neighbours. For more dan 10 years, Niger don dey battle Islamist insurgency wit groups linked to al-Qaeda and di Islamic State wey don kill thousands of pipo and pursue millions from dia homes.

Despite dia big promises, di military junta never make any notable gains against di Islamists. Plenty of dia soldiers don die for insurgents hand, and insecurity still dey deal wit di livelihoods of civilians wey dey for di ‘red zones’- areas wia di militants dey control.

For Tillabery, Mohamed Seydou, one local trader, tell BBC, "As a result of terrorist activities, several farmers don give up dia business."

Yacouba Karaou, one livestock trader for Fillingue district of Tillabery narrate a recent attack on im son by militants.

"As a cattle trader, bandits dey terrorise us every day. Di deadly attacks don slow down farming and every economic and commercial activities. Many pipo don abandon agriculture bicos of di terrorists," Karaou tok.

New enemies

Niger rulers dey also face new enemies. One anti-junta rebel group wey dia name na di Patriotic Liberation Front (FPL) dey demand make dem put back Bazoum for power, and dem don carry out attacks on security forces and key infrastructure such as oil pipelines.

Di leader of di FPL, Mahamoud Sallah, tok say di coup don reverse di democratic gains wey di kontri bin don achieve, and e wan correct am.

"E no bin get any reason for di coup and dat na why we dey demand for Abdourahamane Tchiani to comot for power so dat di pipo go choose dia own goment", e tell BBC.

"To comot for Ecowas go form alliance wit Mali and Burkina Faso na mistake. E no go add any value to Niger."

If di military rulers no gree listen, di rebels don threaten say dem go march go Niamey. "We dey determined to save our country, and we no dey fear", e tell BBC.

Di targeting of di oil pipeline na big blow for di ambition wey Niger goment get to export crude oil. Di kontri bin dey expect to export up to 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day, to take pay back di $400 million loan wey dem collect from China and improve dia revenues wey dey go down to help dem recover from di effects of sanctions.

Anoda wahala wey dey on now between Niamey and dia neighbour Benin Republic, dey also threaten Niger oil exports.

Benin no gree allow any oil to flow out for shipment to China. E tok say dis na retaliation for Niger wey don close dia land borders.

Di border closure dey affect trade routes wey don dey exist for decades. For Malanville, one border town wey bin dey bustle, many businesses don dey forced to close or relocate.

Namata Sanda, one farmer wey dey grow cotton, corn, sorghum and millet for five hectares of land, tok say e no know wetin to do if di border remain closed.

"Since di border close, my business don dey affected badly. My monthly income don drop significantly, from $2,000 to $330. E no dey easy for me and my family," e tok.

Ali Muhammed, wey don dey sell clothes for more dan 30 years, say di local economy go soon collapse.

"Our main customers na Nigeriens, and since dem no come in, e dey very difficult for traders for dis market to sell. Many traders now dey owe," e tok.

Di two kontris don dey hold talks to resolve di quarrel wey don threaten dia two economies.

Additional reporting by Yusuf Akinpelu