Posted on 07 August 2023
The military have taken control in Niger, with soldiers announcing the coup on the West African nation's live television less than a couple of weeks ago.
General Abdourahamane Tchiani, head of Niger’s presidential guard, has declared himself the head of state and leader of the nation during this broadcast on July 26. Mohamed Bazoum, President of Niger since 2021, has been held captive by military since 19 July. Tchiani have announced the dissolution of the constitution, and have shut the national borders.
Organisations globally have expressed concern for the humanitarian and democratic impact, and Léonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, said “the unfolding crisis, if not addressed, will exacerbate the deteriorating security situation in the region.”
“It will also negatively impact the development and lives of the population in a country where 4.3 million people need humanitarian assistance,” he says.