Thousands of people gathered in Niamey on Thursday in support of the military perpetrators of the coup in niger who overthrew the president-elect Mohamed Bazoum, kidnaped for eight days and whose “immediate release” has been demanded by US President Joe Biden.
The demonstrators, who at first were counted by hundreds in Niamey’s Independence Square, multiplied rapidly to reach milesas the AFP journalists were able to verify.
The protesters had come to the call of the M62a coalition of “sovereignty” organizations of civil society, on the 63rd anniversary of the independence of Niger from Francethe former colonial power that has some 1,500 soldiers in the country to help in the fight against the armed jihadist groups that ravage the country.
Protesters chanted “Down with France” and “Long live Russia, long live Putin”.
Since the coup d’état of July 26 in this country that produces oil and uraniumrelations with Paris have been deteriorated following incidents on Sunday at a previous demonstration before the French embassywhich led to the evacuation of more than 500 French citizens.