NIAMEY: Supporters of Niger’s military regime were forced on Saturday to stop a census of citizens willing to volunteer for non-military roles in defense against a likely interference by West African nations, adding they had been overwhelmed by the figures who turned up, Reuters reported.
Niger Junta Supporters
Thousands of young men had massed in front of a stadium in Niamey hours before the scheduled start time of the occasion – a symbol of the solid support in some quarters for the military government, which has defied global pressure to stand down following the July 26 ouster of President Bazoum.
Younoussa Hima, co-organizer of the event said that they did not think to mobilize this number of young men. He added that it was difficult for them today to continue this work, therefore, they decided to halt this census.
Organizers of the of the campaign said they did not want to sign up volunteers for the military, but rather to gather a list of men willing to lend their civilian services in case ECOWAS assaults.
Meanwhile, a delegation representing the West Africa’s Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc arrived in Niger on Saturday seeking a peaceful resolution rather than a military one following the seizure of power by senior army officers in a coup.
The delegation, led by former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar, landed in the capital in the early afternoon. This comes a day after ECOWAS military chiefs announced their readiness to intervene and restore the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum. The ECOWAS has agreed to activate a “standby force” as a final option to restore democracy in Niger. Mohamed Bazoum was ousted by the generals on July 26 last.
