(by Andrea Pinto) The military junta that seized power in Niger with a coup d'état on July 26 said yesterday that the former president Mohamed Bazoum could be charged with high treason.
The spokesman for the junta, Colonel, communicated it to state TV Amadou Abdramane"we have gathered all the elements necessary to prosecute the ousted president… for high treason and for undermining the internal and external security of Niger”.
Today the regional bloc of West Africa, ECOWAS, will meet again to try to remove the specter of weapons and pursue the diplomatic path.
In fact, yesterday the ECOWAS parliament declared its intention to send a delegation to meet the junta in Niamey. The Peace and Security Council of the 55-nation African Union is also expected to meet today to discuss the situation in Niger, signaling the level of concern about the possible consequences of the seventh coup in three years in West Africa and central.
At stake is not only the fate of Niger - an important uranium producer and Western ally in the fight against the Islamist insurgency - but also the influence of rival global powers (China, Russia, the USA and the EU) with strategic interests in the area.
The news of the last few hours is that the military junta has said it is open to diplomacy and peace. The general said it publicly Abdourahamane Tchiani during the meeting with a group of religious leaders, arrived from Nigeria and led by the sheikh Bala Lau, at the head of Izala, a Salafi-inspired Islamic movement. The initiative was wanted by Tinubu ball, the president of Nigeria. However, it is clear that the Nigerien military do not intend to back down, they do not want to leave power to the old government considered corrupt and in the pay of France and for this reason they want to continue the accusation of high treason against former president Bazoum.
Also yesterday, the junta sent a delegation to Guinea led by the general Moussa Salaou Barmou to ask for a reinforced support to meet future challenges. Future challenges refer to a possible military intervention by ECOWAS. Guinea, from first impressions, should support the request for help as it has already done for other states that have suffered a military coup such as Mali e Burkina Faso.
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