Three Years After Coup, Niger Faces Security Chaos and Militant Threats

On July 26, Niger marks the third anniversary of the coup that removed President Mohamed Bazoum from power and brought military leader Abdourahamane Tiani to the helm.

On July 26, 2023, the Nigerien army overthrew Mohamed Bazoum and seized control of the country. Three years later, the deposed president and his wife remain detained at the presidential residence in Niamey without having faced trial. Meanwhile, General Abdourahamane Tiani and the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) continue to govern Niger, overseeing a record of mixed outcomes, according to a report by Radio France Internationale.

Observers note a deterioration in Niger's security situation in recent years following Bazoum's ousting and Tiani's rise to power.

The western region of Tillabéri is identified as the area most vulnerable to militant threats. Since the beginning of the year, the vicinity of Niamey airport has suffered two attacks: one claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, and another carried out by the Islamic State in the Sahel.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Nigerien regime for its repressive nature. Human Rights Watch describes it as an "authoritarian regime," citing the dissolution of labor unions, suspension of dozens of civil society organizations, detention of journalists, and the criminalization of homosexuality under the new penal code.

In recent months, Niger has resumed diplomatic contacts with the United States and Benin following the election of Romuald Wadagni. However, Niamey has yet to reopen its borders with its neighbor Benin. Meanwhile, Niger's economy is experiencing solid growth driven by the oil sector. Nonetheless, a specialist on the Sahel region expressed regret over the absence of clear vision and long-term planning, noting that the government operates without a publicly declared roadmap.

Three years after the coup, former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife Khadija remain confined within a wing of the presidential palace in Niamey. Their lawyers are demanding their immediate and unconditional release, voicing concern over their isolation and the legal status of the former president.

Mohamed Seydou Diani, a lawyer with the Dakar Bar Association and coordinator of the International Coalition of Lawyers for President Mohamed Bazoum, stated: "He has been subjected to illegal detention and arbitrary arrest. His living conditions are deplorable, if not worse; he has not met with his lawyers for three years, sees his doctor only once a week, and is not allowed to move freely within the palace. He is effectively held in solitary confinement, completely cut off from the outside world; this situation is unbearable."

He added: "The military council remains intransigent, and Bazoum has effectively become a human shield in the hands of his captors. No charges have been brought against him, he has not undergone any formal investigation by an examining magistrate, and his presidential immunity has been lifted. We have no interlocutor or means of communication; therefore, we hope and urge regional political authorities and international organizations to demand his immediate and unconditional release."