OUAGADOUGOU: Reinstatement of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger using military force would be considered a ‘declaration of war’ against Burkina Faso and Mali’, warned the two countries in a joint statement.
The two nations are immediate neighbours of Niger, and the government in Burkina Faso and Mali were also formed as a result of military coup.
It is pertinent to note that West African leaders made a threat to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum using ‘force’ besides applying economic sanctions on the group that has removed the president.
“Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali,” the two countries warned in a statement adding, “disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger… could destabilise the entire region”.
Burkina Faso and Mali, in their statement, also “refuse to apply” the “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger”.
General Abdourahamane Tiani who holds position of Guards Chief has declared himself leader of Niger — but his claim has been rejected internationally and the West African bloc ECOWAS has given him a week to hand back power to the deposed president.
Mali and Burkina Faso followed by Niger are the three countries in the Sahel region which have been faced with military coups in less than three years time.
Guinea which also suffered a coup not long ago, in a separate statement has shown dissent and “disagreement with the sanctions recommended by ECOWAS, including military intervention”.
The statement from Guinea read “decided not to apply these sanctions, which it considers illegitimate and inhumane”, and urged ECOWAS to “reconsider its position”.
