Professional-coup rally in Niger after army chief warns in opposition to international intervention | The Guardian Nigeria Information

A number of thousand individuals demonstrated within the capital of Niger on Sunday in assist of final month’s army coup, whose chief has warned in opposition to exterior intervention and proposed a three-year transition of energy.

The demonstrators chanted slogans hostile to former colonial energy France and West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which is contemplating a possible army operation to reinstate elected president Mohamed Bazoum if ongoing negotiations with coup leaders fail.

The Sahel state’s new army leaders have formally banned demonstrations however in apply, these supporting the coup are allowed to go forward.

The demonstrators waved placards saying “Cease the army intervention” and “No to sanctions”, in reference to the monetary and commerce restrictions imposed by the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) 4 days after the coup on July 26.

Sunday’s pro-coup rally was accompanied by musicians praising the brand new army regime, AFP journalists reported.

The newest in a string of pro-coup rallies got here a day after the brand new army ruler in Niamey warned that an assault on Niger wouldn’t be a “stroll within the park”.

Common Abdourahamane Tiani additionally stated in a televised handle on Saturday that he didn’t want to “confiscate” energy and a transition of energy again to civilian rule wouldn’t transcend three years.

Niger’s new leaders have accused France, an in depth Bazoum ally, of being behind the anti-coup stance taken by ECOWAS, which on Saturday made a recent push for a diplomatic resolution.

After ECOWAS chiefs of workers met within the Ghanaian capital Accra on Friday, the 17-nation bloc stated it had agreed on a date for a possible intervention.
– Diplomatic push –

It nonetheless despatched a diplomatic delegation to Niamey on Saturday, led by former Nigerian chief Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Niger tv confirmed delegation members shaking fingers with Bazoum, who stays in detention.

It additionally broadcast footage of Abubakar chatting with Tiani however the content material of the change has not been made public.

In his televised handle on Saturday, Tiani alleged that ECOWAS was “on the brink of assault Niger by establishing an occupying military in collaboration with a international military”, with out saying which nation he meant.