APA – Niamey (Niger) – On the eve of the end of the ECOWAS ultimatum, supporters of General Tchiani gathered in Niamey on Sunday.
Thousands of people demonstrated their support for the soldiers who carried out the coup against Mohamed Bazoun, at the General Seyni Kountche Stadium in Niamey, at the call of several civil society
organizations.
In front of almost 30,000 people, several members of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), such as the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Moussa Salaou Barmou, General Mohamed Toumba and the new High Commander of the National Guard, Colonel Ahmad Sidian, received loud and long cheers.
Nigerian and Russian flags were flying in the huge crowd.
General Mohamed Toumba, Deputy Chief of Staff of the army and an influential member of the CNSP, denounced those “lurking in the shadows plotting subversion against Niger’s forward march. We are aware of their Machiavellian plan,” referring to supporters of the deposed president, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and France.
In another significant event, a cockerel painted in blue, white and red, the colours of France, had its throat slit before being thrown into the air and falling back to the ground. A symbol of the end of cooperation with mainland France. The new authorities in Niger have denounced the military agreements and protocols with Paris, which chose Niamey to redeploy the French forces that left Mali amid a diplomatic row with Bamako.
This show of force comes on the day of the expiry of the ultimatum set on 30 July by ECOWAS for the military to restore the overthrown president, Mohamed Bazoum, or face military intervention.
The contours of the force for a possible military intervention were defined on Friday by the Chiefs of Staff of ECOWAS, and certain armies such as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have said they are ready to take part. Nigeria, which supports this military option, must heed the recommendations of its senate, which has asked President Tinubu to explore all diplomatic avenues to resolve the crisis in Niger.
SD/ac/fss/abj/APA