Niger general declares himself leaderRESPONSE: While the US pledged ‘unflagging’ support for the detained president, the head of Wagner hailed the coup and offered his fighters’ services to help bring orderAFP, NIAMEYThe Niger general who staged a coup on Friday declared himself the new leader of the African nation and said that any foreign military intervention would lead to chaos. Nigerien General Abdourahamane Tchiani speaks on national television in a screen grab from national broadcaster ORTN Tele Sahel on Friday. West African leaders are today to meet in the capital, Abuja, to discuss the coup, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said. “ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] and the international community would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the region,” Tinubu, who is also the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc, said in a statement. “What happened in Niger is nothing other than the struggle of the people of Niger with their colonizers.

Source: Taipei Times July 29, 2023 21:40 UTC