Leader of last weekend’s military coup in Niger Republic, Major General Abdurrahman chiani has further explained why they had to overthrow the administration of President Mohammed Bazoum, saying among other things that any time the soldiers discover hideout of terrorists and want to bomb or kill them, the President would order them to seek clearance from France, even as the terrorists kill their soldiers without mercy.
It would be recalled that Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Authority of Heads of State and Government under the leadership of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, met in Abuja on Sunday and issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military to release and reinstate President Mohammed Bazoum as the legitimate Head of State and government of Niger.
Present at the meeting were Presidents Patrice Talon of Benin Republic, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau, Macky Sall of Senegal and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo while Presidents of Cape Verde, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone were represented.
While reacting, General Abdurrahman chiani rejected the call and warned ECOWAS against military intervention, saying, “We want to once more remind ECOWAS or any other adventurer of our firm determination to defend our homeland.”
He warned against any military intervention in a statement read on Niger national television.
Je said- “The objective of the ECOWAS meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are non-members of ECOWAS, and certain Western countries,” Aljazeera quoted the military spokesperson, Col. Amadou Abdramane, to have said.
Making further explanation on the matter, the interm president said that- “Some people think that the coup operation is a game،
But whether we like it or not, there’s no going back.
“There are two cases, if France and its allies try to attack us to liberate Bazoum, we will have to liquidate it even before the Westerners reach us. Those who want to rally, let’s do it now, otherwise, having understood that we succeeded, if they come, we will not give up, either kill them or go to jail.
“I’ll tell you a secret: We often located terrorists, but when we asked to rush to kill them, President Bazoum told us to ask permission from the French forces first.
But our soldiers were falling on the fronts and France did not pay attention to this.
“We decided to do the same as Mali and Burkina Faso because one of the largest nests of terrorists is located here, and the “Ahmed Koufa” of the Malians is also located here near the Mali / Niger border.
We are ready to form a partnership with Russia and rely a lot on Mali to achieve this.
I’m already old and so are the other generals, so if we die it will be for a good reason.
The young man will take power, as in Burkina Faso and Mali.
“France will be weaker than all that. Mali was right about these imperialists. Many presidents here in Niger have received billions to spoil us, I myself have received offers but we have not given up, so be sure of one thing that will make us like Mali. If I wanted, I would have led the command but if I let the former chief of staff salivo Modi lead it is for a very good reason and I have my reasons.
“I ask the people of Niger to follow the example of Malians and Burkinabes,” he stated.