Niger coup crisis: Who be di main players?
Di ousting of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum by coup leaders led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani don plunge West Africa into regional crisis.
Di arrival of anoda military junta threat go cause further instability to West Africa region wey don already dey plague by insecurity and islamist militancy.
But dem dey feel di unfolding ramifications of di coup further afield, as di international community don come togada condemn am. So na who be di main players in for di crisis and wetin be di stakes?
Who be di main players?
General Abdourahamane Tchiani
General Tchiani, aged 62, na di commander of di Presidential Guards since 2011 and im be close ally of former President Mahamadou Issoufou. E don appoint imself as di leader of Niger new military goment afta di coup.
We no really know anything about Tchiani life, education, or military career, but Niger media don dey mention in name about di 2015 coup attempt against Issoufou.
For 2018, Tchiani appear for court deny di allegations and di court clear am of any involvement.
For one public address for TV on 2 August , Tchiani tok say di military no go bow to di regional pressure to wey wan restore President Bazoum to power.
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President Mohamed Bazoum
President Bazoum enta office as Niger leader on 2 April, 2021, afta im succeed Mahamadou Issoufou wey lead di kontri from 2011 to 2021. Bazoum na close ally of Western nations and military depose am on 26 July 2023.
Observers believe say dem hold am inside im house for di kontri capital Niamey. Bazoum administration don partner wit European countries in a bid to try and stem di flow of migrants across di Mediterranean Sea.
E agree say im go take back hundreds of migrants wey dey detention centres for Libya and crack down on human traffickers for area wey e dey between West and North Africa. Wit Bazoum administration out of power, dis may now be called into kwension.
Niger military
Niger military don back di ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum goment, stating declining security situation and "poor economic and social governance". Dem don warn against foreign military intervention.
Senior military officers create a junta wey dem call di National Council for di Safeguarding of di Fatherland (CNSP). Di Nigerien Army Chief of Staff Abdou Sidikou Issa tok say di army don declare im allegiance to di defence and security forces wey overthrow Bazoum in orda to "avoid a deadly confrontation between di various forces".
M62 movement
Di civil society group bigin escalate anti-French protests for di middle of 2022, wen Mr Bazoum goment approve di redeployment of France's Barkhane forces to Niger afta dem don order dem make dem comot Mali.
Dem lead calls against poor governance, di rising cost of living and di presence of French forces. Nigerien authorities bin ban or violently suppress planned protests by M62 and dem jail di leader Abdoulaye Seydou of di group for nine months in April 2023 for "disrupting public order".
Di group appears to dey ginger afta di ousting of President Bazoum, organising demonstrations in Niger's capital Niamey in support of di coup.
Neighbouring kontries
Burkina Faso
One neighbouring kontri to Niger wey don experience two coups for January and September 2022.
Dia military leadership don warn say any military intervention against Niger coup leaders dem go consider am as "declaration of war" against Burkina Faso.
Di Burkinabe military authorities tok say dem "refuse to apply" di "illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions against di people and authorities of Niger". Since its coup, Burkina Faso don turn towards Russia.
Mali
Anoda neighbouring kontri to Niger, wey recently experience coup for May 2021. di military goment don issue joint statement wit Burkina Faso in support of di coup.
Mali leadership tok say any military intervention against Niger na "tantamount to a declaration of war" against both countries wey fit result in "disastrous consequences" and "destabilise di entire region". Mali dey back by Russia and like Burkina Faso don forge close ties wit di Kremlin since di coup.
Nigeria
Nigeria new president Bola Tinubu na di chairman of Ecowas and Niger coup be one of im first major foreign policy challenge. Nigeria share 1,500km (930 miles) border wit Niger so di security of both countries dey intertwine.
Tinubu take part for di campaign against military rule for Nigeria in di 1980s and see imself as democrat. Wole Ojewale, one Nigeria analyst wit di Institute for Security Studies, tok say say: "I tink e see dis [coup] as an affront to im democratic credentials, particularly wen im dey hold im position as Ecowas chairman."
Tinubu don respond fast fast to di coup by convening a summit of West African leaders for im presidential villa. Nigeria don cut electricity supply to Niger as part of disanction wey Ecowas impose.
Chad
Chad no be member of Ecowas but im leader, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, don travel go Niger go beg di military junta make dem listen to di the regional bloc's ultimatum of reinstating President Bazoum. As a military strongman imself, Mr Déby na ideal intermediary wey fit follow Niger coup leaders tok.
Western powers
Wagner Group
Di leader of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, don describe di coup as a triumph.
"Wetin happun for Niger an nothing oda dan di struggle of di people of Niger wit dia colonisers," na one Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel, quote am say im tok am, but we neva verify dis comment.
Dem don accuse Wagner mercenaries say na dem dey influence Niger. President Bazoum don complain of "disinformation campaigns" by Wagner against im goment before di coup. But di US tok say indication no dey say Wagner forces dey involve for Niger coup.
Russia
Di Kremlin don tok say di situation for Niger "cause for serious concern" and dem don call for all di sides for di conflict make dem show restraint. Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova tok say e dey essential make dem get "a national dialogue wit a view to di return of civil peace and the rule of law".
We some supporters of the coup dey wave Niger and Russia flag. Now, di concern wey dey among Western observers be say Niger new leadership fit follow in di footsteps of Mali and Burkina Faso as dem commot from Western allies and move to Russia.
France
Niger former colonial ruler maintains up to 1,500 troops in di country. Don turn to Niger to base di bulk of im forces following di coups wey dey Mali and Burkina Faso. France don strongly condemn di coup.
Di French foreign ministry don tok say President Bazoum na Niger sole leader and dem no recognise di new coup leaders.
E add say France "reaffirmed in di strongest terms di clear demands of di international community calling for di immediate restoration of constitutional orda and democratically-elected civilian government for Niger".
France's Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu tok say dem don evacuate more dan 1,000 French citizens and other Europeans from Niger.
Di United States
The US government don strongly condemn di Niger coup, wit Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wey dey call for di president immediate release.
Di US get about 1,000 troops for Niger and dem dey maintain forces there since 2013 to back counter-terrorism efforts for di region.
Di US get airbase outside the city of Agadez wey dey carry out drone operations. Agadez dey away wit 500 miles from Niamey, Niger's capital. Di US don order di partial evacuation of im embassy for Niger.
Germany
Germany get defence school for Niger's capital Niamey. Dem don suspend all direct support payments to Niger's central government until further notice.
Germany don warn say dem fit take any further measures depending on how di crisis dey unfolds. Di German foreign ministry tok say e dey follow di events wey dey happen for Niger wit "very great concern".
Turkey
Since establishing diplomatic relations with Niger for 1967, Turkey don progressively strengthening im ties wit di country.
Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs tok say since di opening of a Turkish embassy for Niger's capital Niamey, dem don sign 29 bilateral agreements, wit di value of trade reaching USD72m for 2019.
Turkey don provide drones give Niger and Mali as well as developmental aid. For 2021, Niger receive six Turkish Bayraktar drones in an arms contract.
For one statement, Turkey's Foreign Ministry tok say: "We follow with deep concern di coup attempt perpetrated by a group within di Armed Forces for Niger."
International organisations
Di African Union, di EU and di UN don condemn di coup. Di AU call on di Niger army to return to base within 15 days, while di EU don suspend all security operations for the country.
Di UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres don express solidarity with ousted President Bazoum and im ask Niger's new military leaders make dem release am unconditionally.
