The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (Arabic: المجلس الوطني لحماية الوطن, romanized: al-Majlis al-Waṭanī li-Ḥimāyat al-Waṭan; French: Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie, CNSP) is the ruling military junta of Niger, following the 2023 Nigerien coup d'état which overthrew Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou's government.[1]
| National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland | |
|---|---|
| المجلس الوطني لحماية الوطن Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie | |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Established | 26 July 2023 |
| State | Niger |
| Leader | President (Abdourahamane Tchiani) |
| Headquarters | Niamey |
| Website | Official website |
The military junta's takeover of the government led to the Nigerien crisis.[2]
Origins
editFormation
editOn the evening of 26 July 2023, Niger Air Force[3] Colonel-Major[4] Amadou Abdramane went on state television channel Télé Sahel to claim that President Mohamed Bazoum, who had earlier been detained by the Presidential guard at his official residence in the capital Niamey, had been removed from power and announced the formation of the junta.[3] Seated and flanked by nine other officers wearing fatigues, he said the "defense and security forces" had decided to topple Bazoum's Government "due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance."[5] He also announced the dissolution of the country's Constitution, the suspension of all State Institutions, the closure of the country's borders and a nationwide curfew from 22:00 until 05:00 local time until further notice, while warning against any foreign intervention.[6][7]
On 27 July, Colonel Abdramane announced on television that all activities by political parties in the country were to be suspended until further notice.[8] At an unknown time, the leadership of the Niger Armed Forces issued a statement signed by the Army chief of staff General Abdou Sidikou Issa declaring its support for the coup, citing the need to "preserve the physical integrity" of the President and his family and avoid "a deadly confrontation... that could create a bloodbath and affect the security of the population."[9]
On 10 August, the junta appointed a new cabinet headed by a civilian prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine.[10]
Leadership
editOn 28 July, presidential guards' Commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani proclaimed himself as the president of the council in an address on Télé Sahel. He said the coup was undertaken to avoid "the gradual and inevitable demise" of the country and said that Bazoum had tried to hide "the harsh reality" of the country, which he called "a pile of dead, displaced, humiliation and frustration". He also criticized the government's security strategy for its purported ineffectiveness but did not give a timeline for a return to civilian rule.[11][12]
Identified members
edit- Brigade General Abdourahamane Tchiani – president,[13] and former commander of Niger presidential guard.
- Divisional General Salifou Modi – vice president,[14] former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and former chief of staff of the Niger Armed Forces.
- Divisional General Abdou Sidikou Issa – former chief of staff of the Niger Armed Forces.
- Brigadier General Moussa Salaou Barmou – chief of staff of the Niger Armed Forces.[15]
- Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane – spokesperson
- Brigadier General Mohamed Toumba - member
| N | Portrait | Name and role | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abdourahamane Tchiani
President |
26 July
2023 |
Incumbent | |
| 2 | 
|
Salifou Modi
Vice president |
26 July
2023 |
Incumbent |
| 3 | 
|
Abdou Sidikou Issa
Member |
26 July
2023 |
Incumbent |
| 4 | .jpg)
|
Moussa Salaou Barmou
Member |
26 July
2023 |
Incumbent |
| 5 | 
|
Amadou Abdramane
Member |
26 July
2023 |
Incumbent |
| 6 | .jpg)
|
Mohamed Toumba
Member |
26 July
2023 |
Incumbent |
References
edit- ^ "Soldiers announce coup in Niger – DW – 07/28/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
- ^ "Niger soldiers announce coup on national TV". BBC News. 26 July 2023.
- ^ a b Mednick, Sam (27 July 2023). "Mutinous soldiers claim to have overthrown Niger's president". AP. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Coup d'Etat au Niger : Les militaires putschistes suspendent « toutes les institutions » et ferment les frontières". 20 minutes (in French). 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ Aksar, Moussa; Balima, Boureima (27 July 2023). "Niger soldiers say President Bazoum's government has been removed". Reuters. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Soldiers in Niger claim to have overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ Peter, Laurence (27 July 2023). "Niger soldiers announce coup on national TV". BBC. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Niger army pledges allegiance to coup makers". Aljazeera. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Niger's army command declares support for military coup". France 24. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Niger military names 21-person cabinet ahead of key West African summit". Al Jazeera. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ "Niger's General Abdourahamane Tchiani declared new leader following coup (state TV)". France 24. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Niger coup: Abdourahmane Tchiani declares himself leader". BBC. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Niger general Tchiani named head of transitional government after coup". Al Jazeera. 6 August 2023. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
saying he was the 'president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland'
- ^ Sidonie Aurore Bonny (3 August 2023). "Niger junta appoints civilians to Cabinet, member of military as vice president". Anadolu Agency. Douala, Cameroon. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
Gen. Salifou Modi, Bazoum's former army chief of staff and the ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, is now vice president of the junta.
- ^ Armstrong, Kathryn; Orjinmo, Nduka (8 August 2023). "Niger coup: US envoy holds 'difficult' talks with junta". BBC. Retrieved 8 August 2023.