A Coup d'état is an illegal means of taking over power from an incumbent government. Most coups are successfully achieved by the military through unorthodox means. In Africa, the rise of coups is becoming worrisome and a concern for the global communities and ECOWAS. In recent years, there has been a coup in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Sudan and most of them were part of the ECOWAS before there were sanctions not to be a member. Now, the talk of the day is the danger ahead of the recent coup in Niger.
About a week ago, 26th of July 2023, there was a coup plot in Niger as it was gathered that the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum who was the Democratic president of the Niger Republic. It was immediately after a successful coup that Abdourahamane Tchiani a Nigerien military high-ranking officer declared himself as the leader till further notice.
The issue at hand concerning the Niger coup is the international condemnation of the act as the US, EU, UN, and ECOWAS are all pursuing democracy that will return President Mohamed Bazoum back to power. According to npr.org there have been several attempts of the coup in Niger since its 1960 independence from France and ever since then about four has been recorded.
According to bbc ECOWAS headed by Nigerian President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has placed several sanctions against the Niger lead coup which include the cutting of Electricity from Nigeria, the closing of borders which now restrict food and other items from entering Niger. Meanwhile, Nigerien citizens in thousands have been protesting over the West and ECOWAS sanctions.
The question is now whether the ECOWAS has given the junta lead coup in Niger a one-week ultimatum to restore Mohamed Bazoum as the president of the Niger Republic or whether a force will be applied.
From observation and as a Nigerian citizen, I don’t think ECOWAS' forceful thought on Niger should be applied because that could only lead to more casualties, and at present, Nigeria who’s on the frontline of the ECOWAS is facing its own internal crises.
ECOWAS should be diplomatic and use dialogue concerning the Niger coup junta-led administration to know what the Nigerien public is saying whether they prefer the democratic or military system of government, to know the extent Mohamed Bazoum's government was functioning, and to actualize international and national allies behind the ongoing coup in West Africa.
What may happen if ECOWAS uses force on Niger coup junta
As it’s now, nobody wants war and nobody will ever be clamoring for war because war is a deadly act and not to be thought or even imagined. Countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have declared they will back Niger should in case of any foreign military intervention The cable and you know this means war. If ECOWAS uses its military force on the Niger-led junta, so many lives and properties will be lost. So, dialogue remains the best teacher.
Another thing that will happen is that Nigeria being the frontline of ECOWAS will have more hits of the war from the Northern parts of the country. Nigeria shares a common boundary with Niger Republic and if ECOWAS should use a military force leading to war, there will be more insecurity threat in Nigeria.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2023/07/26/1190405081/niger-military-announce-coup