A look at what's next for Niger a day after the coup

Transcript

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

The overnight coup in Niger is the ninth coup or attempted power grab in just over three years in West and Central Africa, a region increasingly gripped by political instability and insecurity. NPR Africa correspondent Emmanuel Akinwotu reports from neighboring Nigeria that the day followed a familiar pattern.

EMMANUEL AKINWOTU, BYLINE: Twenty-four hours in Niger that has followed a familiar script.

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

AKINWOTU: The late-night announcement on state television...

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

AKINWOTU: ...Where soldiers declare that the military have taken over the government.

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AKINWOTU: While international allies condemn the coup, on the streets, protesters hail it.

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AKINWOTU: A few hundred people gathered in front of the National Assembly in the capital, Niamey, this morning to show their support. Some demanded the departure of French troops. Some waved Russian flags, calling for them to intervene. Since 2019, a belt of six countries stretching from the Atlantic to the Red Sea have suffered coups, and now Niger is the latest, a vast and fragile country suffering from rising Islamist insecurity and now further instability. This was the video the State Department released in March after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the country. Niger is a key western ally in West Africa's Sahel, a region where Western ties are under strain.

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ANTONY BLINKEN: Niger is really an extraordinary model at a time of great challenge - a model of resilience, a model of democracy, a model of...

AKINWOTU: Two years ago, Niger had its first democratic transfer of power held by the U.S., Western and regional allies. Yet four months later, President Mohamed Bazoum is being held by soldiers from his own presidential guard.

ALEX THURSTON: France and the United States and others overlooked some serious governance problems - very strong presidency with sometimes shaky legitimacy.

AKINWOTU: Alex Thurston is an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati and studies Islam and African politics. He said the importance of Niger to counterterrorism led to diplomats heavily backing the country with funds and overlooking major concerns of malpractice during recent elections.

THURSTON: These were kind of warning signs that were there to French and American policymakers, had they chosen to look at them - warning signs that the country was brittle in some key ways.

AKINWOTU: More than a thousand U.S. troops are stationed in Niger, and the larger French force also operates there, conducting counter-terrorism operations alongside the Nigerian army. But Islamist insurgencies are getting worse across the Sahel. Regional and Western allies face a predicament in their response to the new military leaders because a lack of consequences risks destabilizing neighboring countries with histories of coup attempts. But any isolation from the international community could be exploited by Russia.

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PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN: (Through interpreter) Your Excellency, Mr. Assoumani, Your Excellency's heads of state, government...

AKINWOTU: This was Russian President Vladimir Putin welcoming African leaders to Saint Petersburg today for a Russia-African summit, where Russia seeks to improve its ties on the continent. Today supporters of the coup were jubilant, celebrating on the streets of Niamey.

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UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Chanting in non-English language).

AKINWOTU: But it's not clear what direction the military leadership will pursue. And after yesterday, Niger's future is even more uncertain. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR News, Lagos. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.