Nigeria News
Niger Coup: I Stand With President Tinubu, ECOWAS – Senegal’s Sall Says
Senegal’s President, Macky Sall, has backed Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), over actions taken so far against the military junta in the Niger Republic.
President Sall, who was responding to a question on why ECOWAS was taking strong action against the Republic of Niger compared to other member states in similar positions, said it was time for the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to take decisive actions to correct its past mistakes.
Naija News reports that President Tinubu of Nigeria is currently chairing ECOWAS.
Speaking today on the decision of the African community to deal with the coup leaders in Niger, President Sall said: “If we had made mistakes in the past, we should try to correct it now. There is always a time to get started. I think it was a mistake not to have taken action previously, but now that we are together on this, we should take action to make sure that it does not continue.”
When asked about his country’s stance as regards the resolution taken, Sall reportedly said: “I support the action that has been proposed by ECOWAS that we do not accept this attempted coup d’état to stand and that we will make every effort to make sure that constitutional order returns to Niger.”
ECOWAS countries that have witnessed coups are Mali: In August 2020, the Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was overthrown in a military coup led by Colonel Assimi Goita.
On September 5, 2021, Guinea’s President Alpha Condé was ousted by a military coup led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.
Far back in September 2015, Burkina Faso faced a coup d’état, resulting in the temporary removal of President Michel Kafando by the Presidential Guard.
Also, in December 2014, former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh survived a coup attempt by dissident members of the Military.
Naija News understands that the Niger Republic has experienced several coups since its independence in 1960. There have been four successful military coups in Niger Republic’s history.
The first one occurred in 1974, led by Colonel Seyni Kountché, followed by two others in 1996 and 1999, led by Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara.
There was another one in 2010, led by Salou Djibo, and the latest coup happened on July 26, 2023.