Niger Military Gov’t Reopens Borders To Five Countries, Exclude ECOWAS Members

The new junta government in the Republic of Niger has reopened the country’s land borders and airspace to five neighbouring African countries.

The military junta said the borders were opened only to Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Libya, and Chad.

Naija News reports that the military government led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani forcefully ousted the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum last week.

In an announcement following the successful coup, the Tchiani-led junta also appointed new governors for the country’s eight regions.

While Mali and Burkina Faso are members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), both nations, also under military rule, had taken sides with the coup leaders in Niger.

The military leaders in Niger had warned ECOWAS against any further interventions that would “jeopardise the spirit of Pan-Africanism”.

They added that any military intervention against the country would force them to also adopt “self-defence measures” in support of the “brotherly” armed forces and the people of Niger.

Mali and Burkina Faso, who had long been suspended from ECOWAS after earlier military coups, also threatened to withdraw from the regional bloc.

Naija News reports that tensions between Niger and other ECOWAS members remain as the country’s borders with Benin and Nigeria remain closed.

Recall that Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is now the new ECOWAS chairperson, had strongly condemned the coup in Niger, vowing to do everything possible to ensure peace and return of democracy to the unstable West African country and the region at large.