Leaders of the coup in Niger Republic have reportedly conveyed a grave threat to a senior US diplomat, indicating their willingness to assassinate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if neighbouring countries intervened militarily.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that this warning was given to two Western officials as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced the deployment of a standby force on Thursday in response to the crisis.
During her visit to the country this week, representatives of the junta informed Victoria Nuland, the US secretary of state, about the potential threat to Bazoum’s life. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed this account.
Aneliese Bernard, a former US State Department official specializing in African affairs, expressed concerns that such threats could further escalate tensions on all sides. She noted that the junta’s rapid actions might make them inclined toward more extreme measures.
ECOWAS issued a communique after a meeting in Abuja on Thursday, outlining measures to address the Niger crisis.
The bloc condemned Bazoum’s hostage situation and held the military government in Niger accountable for the safety of the detained president, his family, and the democratically elected administration.
Additionally, ECOWAS directed the president of the commission to oversee the enforcement of sanctions on Niger and instructed the “committee of the chief of defence staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.”
Following a bloodless coup on July 26, Bazoum was deposed, and the junta has since established a cabinet to oversee the nation’s affairs.