Military leaders in the Niger Republic have ordered the nation’s armed forces to be on maximum alert over the increased threat of attack.
The Niger military asked its armed forces to go on maximum alert to allow it to respond adequately to any attack.
Military leaders in the Niger Republic have ordered the nation’s armed forces to be on maximum alert over the increased threat of attack.
The order is contained in an internal document issued by Niger’s Defence Chief on Friday, August 25, 2023, which security sources in the country have confirmed to be authentic.
As noted in the document, which was circulated online on Saturday, the order to go on the highest alert would allow forces to respond adequately in case of any attack and “avoid a general surprise,” Reuters reports.
“Threats of aggression to the national territory are increasingly being felt,” it said.
This comes as the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Touray, clarified that the sub-regional bloc has neither declared war on the people of Niger Republic nor planned to invade the country.
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Speaking in Abuja on Friday, August 25, 2023, Touray explained that ECOWAS would only deploy all measures, including the use of its standby force to restore democratic order in Niger Republic.
Tourey noted that Niger as part of the West African region bloc signed up to its rules and regulations to deploy measures to support its fight against terrorism to ensure the restoration of democracy, peace, and security in the community.
There’s an ongoing standoff between ECOWAS, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, and Niger military junta, who forcefully deposed the country’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup on July 26.
While the sub-regional body has insisted on the unconditional reinstatement of Bazoum, the junta, led by the former commander of Niger’s presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani, has continued to hold on to power in the West African nation.
