Niger’s deposed leader has called the US and the “entire international community” to assist in “restoring… constitutional order” following last week’s coup.
President Mohamed Bazoum stated that he was writing “as a hostage” in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post.
He also cautioned that the region might be further influenced by Russia through the Wagner Group, which currently operates in neighboring countries.
West African neighbors have threatened military action in Niger.
The coup leaders stated on Thursday that they were pulling the country’s ambassadors from France, the United States, Nigeria, and Togo.
They stated the four ambassadors’ functions had been “terminated” in a statement aired out on national television.
Only hours before, Kiari Liman-Tinguiri, Niger’s ambassador to the United States, told the AFP news agency that the junta “should come to reason” and “realize that this affair cannot succeed.”
Niger is a major producer of uranium, a critical fuel for nuclear power, and was a crucial Western ally in the fight against Islamist extremists in West Africa’s Sahel area under Mr Bazoum.
Mr Bazoum warned in his newspaper essay that a coup would have “devastating consequences for our country, our region, and the entire world” if it occurred.
“Fighting for our shared values, including democratic pluralism and respect for the rule of law, is the only way to make sustainable progress against poverty and terrorism,” Mr Bazoum wrote.
“The Nigerien people will never forget your support at this pivotal moment in our history.”
Mr. Bazoum also warned of the coup leaders’ ties to the Russian mercenary company Wagner, which operates elsewhere in the region and is widely regarded as having a negative influence in Niger.
“The entire central Sahel region could fall to Russian influence via the Wagner group, whose brutal terrorism has been on full display in Ukraine,” wrote Mr Bazoum.
Many supporters of the coup in Niger have been chanting pro-Russian slogans and donning Russian flag colors.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Niamey, Niger’s capital, on Thursday to support the coup and criticize other West African countries for placing financial and commercial sanctions on Niger.
According to the US, there is no evidence that Wagner was engaged in Mr Bazoum’s overthrow, but Wagner’s chief has reportedly praised the coup as a triumph. The Russian government, on the other hand, has urged for the reinstatement of the ousted president.
The military coup has also been criticised globally, especially by the EU, UN, and the US.
Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Mr Bazoum and stated that the US was dedicated to the restoration of Niger’s democratically elected government.
Mr Bazoum, Niger’s first democratically elected president to succeed another, was detained last week by his own security. Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, the leader of the coup, has been installed as president.
Niger is an important portion of the Sahel region of Africa, which is plagued by jihadists and military governments. In recent years, it has been regarded as a model of relative stability, while its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso have had military coups.
It is home to French and American military bases that are used to combat Islamist rebels.
President Bazoum’s government has worked with European countries to stem the flow of migrants over the Mediterranean Sea, agreeing to accept hundreds of refugees from Libyan detention centers. He has also taken action against human smugglers.
