Niger takes precautions amid rising aggression concerns

A month following the military overthrow of Niger's democratically elected president, tensions within the country persist.

A message attributed to the army's general staff and verified by a military source stated on Friday that "threats of aggression on the national territory are increasingly felt." While the message did not specify the origin of these threats, it directed army units to be on "maximum alert" to preempt any sudden developments and to ensure an appropriate response.

The upheaval began on July 26 when Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that removed President Mohamed Bazoum from power.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently called for the restoration of constitutional order in Niger, highlighting the country's growing fragility since Bazoum's ousting. ECOWAS activated its standby force on August 10, initially raising concerns about potential armed intervention. However, these concerns have eased somewhat after the new Nigerien authorities agreed to a dialogue mission proposed by ECOWAS last week.

During a press briefing at ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Commission President Omar Alieu Touray emphasized that force was not the preferred means of restoring constitutional order in Niger.

Beyond these diplomatic channels, political and civil society groups within Niger have expressed their apprehensions regarding potential aggression from France.

Algerian public radio reported on Tuesday that Algeria had rejected a request from Paris to utilize its airspace for a military intervention against Niger. French authorities have denied this claim.

In a separate development, Niger issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the French ambassador in Niamey to leave the country. The military administration cited "actions by the French government against the interests of Niger" as the reason for this decision.