- Niger’s Political Standoff Escalates: Junta Closes Skies Indefinitely
Niger’s military junta has taken the step of closing the nation’s airspace indefinitely following a warning from a regional bloc that it might resort to force if President Mohamed Bazoum wasn’t reinstated, as reported by the media on Monday.
According to Flightradar24, a flight tracking website, the skies over Niger are currently void of any aircraft, as stated by the BBC.
Following a critical meeting on August 4th, leaders of the Ecowas regional trading bloc, consisting of 15 West African countries such as Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and Ghana, unveiled a comprehensive strategy for the potential use of force if Bazoum wasn’t reinstated by 11 p.m. on August 6th.
Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Ecowas commissioner for political affairs, peace, and security, remarked, “All the necessary components for any potential intervention have been meticulously planned, including the required resources, the method, and the timing of our deployment.”
He emphasized, “We are aiming for diplomatic resolution and we want this message conveyed clearly to the Niger junta, giving them every opportunity to reverse their actions.”
Despite these developments, Niger’s coup leaders displayed no signs of relinquishing power as of early Monday morning.
In a defiant show of support, thousands of their backers congregated at a stadium in the capital city, Niamey, on Sunday.
The detention of Bazoum on July 26th led to Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, commander of the presidential guard, declaring himself the new leader.
In response to the regional bloc’s warning, a spokesperson for the junta affirmed the readiness of Niger’s armed forces to safeguard the nation.
The international community has widely criticized this military takeover, with France, the European Union, the United Nations, and the United States expressing condemnation.
Meanwhile, neighboring countries Burkina Faso and Mali, both Ecowas members suspended from the bloc due to military juntas, issued a cautionary statement: they would consider any foreign military intervention in Niger as “a declaration of war” against them, as reported by the BBC.(Edited)