FILE PHOTO: President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum delivers a speech during the opening session of the New Global Financial Pact Summit at the Palais Brogniart in Paris on June 22, 2023.
FILE PHOTO: President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum delivers a speech during the opening session of the New Global Financial Pact Summit at the Palais Brogniart in Paris on June 22, 2023. LUDOVIC MARIN/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
West Africa

Niger's ousted president vows to protect democracy

Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, toppled in a military coup, said on social media platform X that "hard-won gains will be safeguarded" and that Nigeriens who love democracy will see to it.
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NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, toppled in a military coup, said on Thursday on social media platform X that "hard-won gains will be safeguarded" and that Nigeriens who love democracy will see to it.

The country's foreign minister Hassoumi Massoudou also posted on the platform formerly known as Twitter, calling on "all democrats and patriots" to make this "perilous adventure" fail.

Their statements followed a late-night address on Wednesday by soldiers on national television announcing that Bazoum had been removed from power and all institutions of the republic suspended, marking the seventh coup in West and Central Africa since 2020.

Earlier on Wednesday members of the presidential guard had blocked Bazoum inside the presidential palace, sparking regional and international concern about instability in a country that is a pivotal ally for Western powers helping fight an insurgency in the Sahel region.

(Reporting by Bate Felix; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Alexander Winning)

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