Niger presidential guard chief, who led coup, says he's new leader; seeks support

livemint.com:

General Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger’s presidential guard chief, who led the coup against President Mohamed Bazoum leaving him detained, has named himself as the new leader of the country. In an address, General Abdourahamane Tiani also sought the support of people in leading the country.

In a statement, General Abdourahamane Tiani denounced widespread corruption, poor governance and the management of Niger’s security. “The current security approach has not made it possible to secure our country despite the heavy sacrifices made by Nigeriens and the appreciated support form our external partners," Tiani said.

The coup started on Wednesday when the military powers blocked the entrance to the presidential palace and also closed down the access to several ministries. “We need to ask ourselves whether the current handling of the security issue in Niger has made it possible to guarantee our safety, that of our families, our villages and our country and whether we can continue like this, with the same approach, the same actors and the same results," Tiani added.

He also said that Niger would continue to respect international partnerships and also urged world leaders to accept the developments in the country, while warning against any attempt to intervene. Military juntas have taken over neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali over the past two years, and both countries have broken relations with ex-colonial power France — which had led the fight against terrorism in the region — and built closer ties with Russia.

The Kremlin-linked Wagner Group has deployed to Mali, which recently kicked out the 13,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force that has been in the country for a decade. “I ask our international partners and friends to