Niger Coup: Junta Takes Control, Shuts Down Airspace

 

The coup leaders in Niger have shut off airspace until further notice, concerned about the possibility of military action from their neighbours.

There are now no aircraft in the sky over Niger, according to the flight tracking website Flightradar24.

If President Mohamed Bazoum is not reinstalled by Sunday at 23:00 GMT, the West African bloc of nations, known as Ecowas, has already threatened to employ force.

Niger's military forces are prepared to protect the nation, according to a junta spokesperson.

After Mr. Bazoum was taken into custody on July 26, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the head of the presidential guard, formally assumed control.

The military coup has received widespread international condemnation, notably from the United Nations, the United States, former colonial power France, and the rest of the European Union.

The Niger junta's spokesperson read a statement on national television on Sunday, claiming to have knowledge that "a foreign power" was getting ready to strike Niger.

Following a crisis conference in Nigeria, the military leaders of Ecowas said on Friday that they had created a thorough strategy for the potential use of force.

Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Ecowas commissioner for political affairs, peace, and security, stated that "all the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out here, including the resources needed, the how, and the when we are going to deploy the force."

He said, "We want diplomacy to succeed, and we want this message to them [Niger's junta] clearly transmitted that we are giving them every opportunity to undo what they have done."

They gave the generals a week to comply with their ultimatum to cede control by midnight local time, but the deadline has now passed.

Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Ghana, and 14 other West African nations make up the regional commercial bloc known as Ecowas.

Thousands of the coup leaders' supporters gathered angrily on Sunday at a stadium in Niamey, the capital of Niger, as they appear unwilling to give up control.

Burkina Faso and Mali, two of Niger's neighbours, have issued a warning that they would regard any foreign military action in Niger as "a declaration of war" against them. Mali and Burkina Faso are both Ecowas members, although they have both been expelled from the organisation as a result of being governed by military coups.

Under Mr. Bazoum, Niger was an important Western partner in the conflict with Islamist extremists in West Africa's Sahel area. Niger is a big producer of uranium, a fuel essential for nuclear power.

The Back Story OF Niger:

 

Niger's history may be traced back to the Palaeolithic period, when hunter-gatherer cultures occupied the area. The Kanem Empire and the Songhai Empire were among the earliest significant civilizations to develop in Niger around the first millennium BCE. These empires were strong commercial and military forces that ruled over a large portion of the Sahara.

France colonised Niger in the nineteenth century. Up until 1960, when Niger attained independence, it was under French administration. Niger has faced several difficulties since attaining independence, such as political unrest, famine, and drought. Nevertheless, the nation has also made strides in recent years, with economic development and advancements in healthcare and education.

Here are some of the key events in the history of Niger:

• 1st millennium BCE: Kanem Empire founded
• 7th century CE: Islam arrives in Niger
• 14th century: Songhai Empire founded
• 19th century: French colonization begins
• 1960: Niger gains independence
• 1974: Military coup
• 1991: Return to democracy
• 2010: Nigerien Tuareg rebellion
• 2012: Nigerien–Mali War
• 2017: Nigerien–Boko Haram conflict

Over 20 million people live in the nation of Niger today. Niamey is Niger's capital city. French is Niger's official language, but Hausa, Zarma, and Fula are also extensively spoken. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the African Union, and the United Nations all include Niger as a member.

West African Niger is a landlocked nation. Benin to the south, Nigeria to the southwest, Burkina Faso to the east, and Mali to the north are its neighbours. With a total size of more than 1,267,000 square kilometres, Niger is a sizable nation. Niger's landscape consists primarily of desert, with a few mountains towards the south. East to west, the Niger River traverses the whole nation.

Agriculture, cattle, and mining are the three main pillars of the Nigerian economy. Rice, peanuts, sorghum, and millet are the primary crops. Camels, cattle, sheep, and goats are all examples of livestock. Gold, coal, and uranium are the three principal resources found in Niger.

An impoverished nation, Niger has a GDP per capita of $1,210 (PPP). Niger's most prominent problems include poverty, malnutrition, and insecurity. The nation has advanced recently, nevertheless, because of economic growth and advancements in healthcare and education.

Source:

• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66424858
• https://g.co/bard/share/aaacc002e131