The military junta in Niger Republic has told a top U.S. diplomat that they would kill the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries attempted any military invasion to restore him, two Western officials have told The Associated Press.
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The Heads of State and Governments of the ECOWAS, on Thursday during their second Summit in Abuja ordered the committee of the Chief of Army Staff, to activate a standby force to restore constitutional order in that country.
Representatives of the junta had told U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week, a Western military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
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According to AP, a U.S. official confirmed that account, also speaking on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Bazoum, who was deposed on July 26, says he is being held hostage at his residence.
The regional ECOWAS bloc said Thursday it had directed the deployment of a “standby force” to restore democracy in Niger after the coup. However, it gave no details about the make-up, location, and proposed date of deployment for any military intervention force.
Asked for clarification, the president of the ECOWAS commission, Omar Alieu Touray, said he could only reaffirm the decisions by “the military authorities in the subregion to deploy a standby force of the community.”
Financing had been discussed and “appropriate measures have been taken,” he said.
AP
