The tone quickly soured between the Nigerien putschists and France, creating a tense climate on the eve of an important ECOWAS summit. Accusations abound on both sides, with the Nigerien junta accusing France of having violated its airspace and of having freed terrorists. However, these accusations have been formally denied by Paris.
In an official communiqué, the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP) declares that France is planning a security disorder in order to discredit the junta and break the link with the Nigerien people. By way of example, the putschists point to the unilateral release of 16 terrorists by France, who, according to them, would then have organized attacks in the area of the three borders.
In addition, the putschists also accuse France of having violated Niger’s airspace, which had been closed on Sunday. According to the junta, a French army plane would have entered this space without authorization and would have cut off all contact for more than four hours.
However, France strongly refutes these unfounded accusations in a joint statement from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense. They explain that the French military presence in Niger aims to fight against terrorist groups and recall that this was done at the risk of the lives of many French soldiers. As for the flight of the plane, it would have been authorized and coordinated with the Nigerien forces, with written authorization issued.
For France, these accusations are only a temptation of diversion on the part of the Nigerian junta, on the eve of the ECOWAS meeting.
Faced with this escalation of tensions, the Nigerien authorities have decided to raise the level of alert throughout the territory.
It is important to emphasize that this complex situation reveals the fractures that exist between the junta and France, as well as the worrying security context in Niger. The next developments will be watched closely, especially during the ECOWAS summit