Niger Coup Leader Sets 3-Year Timeline for Return to Civilian Rule, ECOWAS Mulls Intervention

The head of the military junta that seized power in Niger weeks ago, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has announced a three-year roadmap for a return to civilian rule.

He made the announcement in a televised address on Saturday night, after meeting with a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by Nigeria’s former leader, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd).

According to Tchiani, the junta will form a committee within a month to draft a new constitution for the country, which will be submitted to a referendum. He also said that the junta will appoint a transitional government and a national dialogue council to oversee the political and institutional reforms.

Tchiani defended the coup as a necessary measure to restore peace and stability in Niger, which has been plagued by insecurity and violence from Islamist militants and ethnic militias.

He said that the junta did not want war, but would not hesitate to defend the country if attacked. He added that the junta was open to dialogue and cooperation with regional and international partners.

ECOWAS has not yet issued an official response to Tchiani’s speech, but Abubakar is expected to brief the regional bloc on the outcome of the meeting.

ECOWAS has condemned the coup and demanded the immediate release of the ousted president Mohamed Bazoum and other detained officials.

ECOWAS has also suspended Niger from its decision-making bodies and threatened to impose sanctions and deploy a military force if the junta does not restore constitutional order.

Meanwhile, Niger’s prime minister appointed by the junta, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, has assured that Bazoum is safe and unharmed under house arrest. This comes after Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu warned of “grave consequences” if Bazoum’s health deteriorates while in detention. Lamine Zeine told The New York Times that “Nothing will happen to him, because we don’t have a tradition of violence in Niger.”

In a show of support for the junta, thousands of volunteers registered as civilian auxiliaries who could be mobilised to assist the army in case of any external aggression. The registration took place in central Niamey on Saturday, amid reports that ECOWAS military chiefs had met in Accra, Ghana, to discuss the possibility of intervening in Niger.

In addition to ECOWAS, other international actors such as the African Union, the United Nations, France, and the United States have also expressed concern over the coup and called for a swift and peaceful transition to democracy in Niger.

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