The President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum on Thursday broke silence on social media after the military admitted to taking over the country.
This online media platform had earlier reported that the military declared their takeover of power after detaining Bazoum on Wednesday.
The military announced the coup via a televised broadcast early on Thursday.
During the broadcast, ten military officers addressed President Bazoum directly, stating their seizure of power was to end the regime due to the “deteriorating security situation and bad governance.”
In their announcement, they declared the constitution dissolved, all institutions suspended, and the country’s borders closed.
Bazoum in a post on his Twitter account on Thursday vowed to protect “hard-won” democratic gains.
The Niger President in a tweet written in French translates, “The hard-won achievements will be safeguarded. All Nigerians who love democracy will see to it.”
The country’s foreign minister, Hassoumi Mashesoudou also issued a rallying cry on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for “all democrats and patriots” to make the coup fail.
Speaking in an interview with FRENCH 24, President Bazoum’s foreign minister, Hassoumi Massoudou said that the leader was in good health and insisted that the elected government was the legal and legitimate power in Niger.