A Russian state-funded paramilitary organization, the Wagner Group, also officially known as PMC Wagner, is described as a de facto private army of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s former close ally Yevgeny Prigozhin.
As the war approaches Niger Republic, with the threat of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Niger’s new military government has signed a defense agreement with PMC Wagner.
Shortly after, the head of Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in an exclusive interview, described the situation in Niger and the subregion as struggles as “liberating,” Niger from France and the collective west “thieves.”
“I will answer what the basis for the change of power in Niger is. The basis is the economy. The population of Niger has been driven to poverty for a long time. For example, a French company that mines uranium sold it in the market for $218 while paying Niger only $11 out of every $218 for it,” Prigozhin said while further commenting on the major problems that led to the coup in Niger.
“You can work with investors on a 50-50 or 30-70% basis, but it is impossible to return to the natives of the country, who were born in this country, who live in this country and who expect that the natural resources of this country belong to them, and which according to the constitution belong to them, only 5% of the wealth you receive from their land.
“To cover up these financial crimes, the country has been infiltrated by huge number of terrorists. This huge number of terrorists, in theory, should be controlled by a huge number of different troops, funded by the UN (United Nations), the European Union, the Americans, the British and others. As a result, the population of Niger, who should be free and happy because of the economic opportunities that existed, was robbed, and kept in fear for decades to keep them silent .
“To show that these thieves and looters are necessary on the territory of the state, I mean the western countries like France, the USA and so on, they sent their crowds of soldiers who did nothing but receive big budgets which were also misused in various levels. That is why the transformation (coup) in Niger was simply necessary.
“The power that was in alliance with Bazoum (the ousted Nigerien president) and his followers, simply covered up, allowing the coalition of people who looted the nation to be present on Niger soil. That’s all. So this is a liberation struggle, a liberation movement for the independence of this country, and May God grant them success,” Prigozhin concluded.
Few days before the interview, Prigozhin had admitted that Wagner PMC fighters were all set to help the local government in Niger, and already taken positions in multiple locations within the country and beyond.
From all indications, the planned ECOWAS invasion of Niger will not be a child’s play, if it happens. We can definitely do without it. The wind of change is already in full swing and unstoppable, and I believe this is why they need a war. We can refuse to be tools. We can.
Hopefully Mr. TINUBU can see this & read up a little on Wagner’s history and be better advised on what to do, rather than rushing to war after a mere 7 days ultimatum – a war that could engulf the entire region? Who does that? Stuff like this only happen when the war has been planned longer than the so called 7 days, probably even before TINUBU became president. So, if this is the case, who has been busy planning for this war that African brothers are about to execute on African soil against African brothers? Is it possible that the voice of reason can tear through the obstinate, bloodthirsty, hegemonic stranglehold on our political elites and shred the blindfold over their eyes so they can see we’re being set up for a genocidal implosion of historic proportions, at a time when we should be sweating blood and water to uphold true freedom and self preservation on the continent?
J.C Okechukwu, @jcokechukwu
