Buhari Warns Niger’s Coup Plotters: Nigeria Will Not Sit Back

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attempted coup in Niger Republic, and threatened that Nigeria will not be indifferent to the use of force at enforcing regime change in the continent.

President Buhari also insisted that “any illegal effort to depose a democratically elected government is not only despicable, but also unacceptable to democratic governments around the world.”

Ahead of Friday’s swearing-in of President-elect Mohamed Bazoum, armed attackers tried to seize the presidential palace in the early hours of Wednesday but were reportedly repelled by the presidential guards.

Spokesman for the government, Abdourahamane Zakaria said that the attackers, who were members of a military unit on Niger’s presidential palace, were repelled after the presidential guards met the insurrection with heavy shelling and gunfire preventing them from approaching the presidential palace.

Buhari in a telephone conversation with Mahamadou Issoufou, Niger’s outgoing President on the situation in the country, warned that “the international community is hostile to the change of government by violent and unconstitutional means.

“It is utterly naive to attempt the removal of an elected government by force.

“Military political adventurers should respect the will of the people and respect constitutional order.

“I’m particularly concerned about the negative impact of coups on African stability, peace and progress.

“Nigeria cannot be indifferent to these dangers to Africa. Coups are out of fashion and the involvement of the military in violent change of government is doing more harm than good to Africa”, the President said.

The Nigerian leader urged African leaders to “remain united against coups under whatever guise or form,” warning coup plotters to learn lesson from history on the consequences of instability caused by violent takeover of governments.

President Buhari also used the occasion to congratulate the President-elect Mohamed Bazoum on his election victory and the outgoing President’s commitment to orderly and peaceful transfer of power.

The Nigerian leader also applauded Niger’s security forces for suppressing the onslaught against the democratically elected Government of the people of Niger Republic.