Niger junta chief rejects sanctions, refuses to 'bow down' to threats

The leader of the coup that toppled Niger's president has said that French citizens had no reason to quit the country, but rejected international sanctions, vowing not to bow to "threats".

Responding to the international sanctions imposed in response to the coup on Wednesday, General Abdourahamane Tiani said the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) "rejects these sanctions as a whole and refuses to give in to any threat, wherever it comes from".

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders have imposed trade and financial sanctions and threatened the use of force if the junta does not restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum by Sunday.

In the region's third military takeover in as many years, President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by his own guard, sounding alarm bells in the region and beyond.

In the televised address, Tiani said Niger would not bow to regional and international pressure to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.

Military intervention ‘last resort’

Separately, ECOWAS said on Wednesday that military intervention in junta-ruled Niger was "the last resort" as Nigeria cut electricity supplies to intensify pressure on the country's coup leaders.

Meanwhile, as ex-colonial power France sent in a fifth plane to evacuate its citizens, coup leader Tiani insisted they had no reason to quit the country.

West African military chiefs were meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja to frame a response while a delegation was in Niger for negotiations, a week after the coup that shook the fragile nation.

British nationals left Niger

The first group of British nationals have left Niger on a French flight bound for Paris, Britain's foreign office said.

"A group of British nationals has left Niger on a French flight this evening. We have a team in Paris ready to support them on landing," a foreign office spokesperson said in an emailed statement. They did not say how many Britons were on the flight.

“The UK’s Ambassador and a core team remain in Niger to support the very small number of British nationals who are still there. We are grateful to the French for their help in this evacuation,” the statement added.

US orders partial evacuation

The US on Wednesday ordered a partial evacuation of its embassy in Niger, the State Department said.

"On August 2, 2023, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees and eligible family members from Embassy Niamey," an updated US travel advisory for Niger said.