Niger’s mutiny failed, President Bazoum, family safe

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
26 Jul 2023 17:05

The situation in the capital Niamey remains stable as Niger's president is safe in light of the mutiny.

Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum during his inauguration ceremony (AFP)

President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum said on Wednesday that he and his family are in a safe condition after the mutiny had ended.

The country's military reportedly refused to back the rebels from the presidential guard, the office added.

Earlier in the day, sources reported that presidential guards surrounded the presidential palace in Niger and blocked off Bazoum’s office and residence.

However, the situation in the capital Niamey remained stable.

"On Wednesday morning, elements of the presidential guard began a mutiny, trying in vain to gather the support of the national armed forces and the national guard," the office said on Twitter.

The president and his family "are doing fine" and were not harmed during the mutiny, the office added.

In the late 1890s, France began colonizing Niger. The Sahel nation won independence in 1960 as part of a broader decolonization movement triggered by political upheavals and Paris' surrender of African territories.

France retained its colonies in Africa roughly until the 1960s, exercising its dominance over North, Western, and Equatorial Africa. Shortly after the formation of the Fifth French Republic in 1958, countries such as Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Congo, Chad, and the Central African Republic gained independence.

Despite this fact, Paris failed to completely abandon the region, continuing to intervene in its internal affairs, including by military means.

Since the start of his political career, Bazoum has maintained a moderate stance with regard to former colonial powers.

But on June 23, Niger's parliament approved a new national anthem, marking the first steps to free the country of any relics of French colonization.

According to the Anadolu Agency, quoting a legislative radio station that broadcast the discussions, a measure to alter the song from the French-composed "La Nigerienne" to "The Honor of the Fatherland" garnered overwhelming approval from parliamentarians.

Former Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou announced the decision to change the country's song in response to criticism that portions of the lyrics appeared to convey appreciation to the country's previous colonizer, such as the verse that states: “Let us be proud and grateful for our newfound freedom.”