LAGOS AUGUST 12TH (NEWSRANGERS)-After nearly three weeks of appealing to the United States and other allies for help restoring Niger’s president to power, friends and supporters of the democratically elected leader are making a simpler plea: Save his life. President Mohamed Bazoum, leader of the last remaining Western-allied democracy across a vast stretch of…
LAGOS AUGUST 10TH (NEWSRANGERS)-ECOWAS leaders have ordered immediate invasion of Niger, charging the regional body’s standby force to restore constitutional order following the seizure of power in a military coup late last month. President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, made the declaration during a meeting of the organisation on Thursday afternoon. “We direct the committe…
LAGOS AUGUST 10TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Niger’s junta told a top U.S. diplomat that they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if neighboring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule, two Western officials told The Associated Press. They spoke to the AP shortly before the West African bloc ECOWAS said it had directed the deployment of…
LAGOS AUGUST 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-U.S. State Department’s acting No. 2 traveled to Niger and held talks on Monday with senior officials from the country’s junta which seized power last month, but made no progress in meetings she described as “difficult”. U.S. Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland was in Niamey, she told reporters in…
Collpased building, Iran, Kill, Three Policemen, Injured elevn LAGOS AUGUST 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Three Iranian police officers were killed Sunday and 11 other people injured when several buildings collapsed in the capital Tehran, local media said. The policemen were securing the planned demolition of “unauthorized buildings” in southwest Tehran, ISNA news agency reported. It said that while…
LAGOS AUGUST 7TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Leaders of West Africa’s regional bloc said Monday that they would meet later this week to discuss next steps after Niger’s military junta defied a deadline to reinstate the country’s ousted president while its mutinous soldiers closed the country’s airspace and accused foreign powers of preparing an attack. The meeting was scheduled…
LAGOS AUGUST 7TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Niger’s coup leaders have closed the country’s airspace until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention from their neighbours. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 is showing that there are currently no aircraft in Niger’s skies. The West African group of countries, Ecowas, had earlier warned it could use force if President Mohamed…
LAGOS AUGUST 5TH (NEWSRANGERS)-As the seven-day ultimatum given by West African leaders for the military in Niger to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum draws to a close, both sides have crucial decisions to make. Last Sunday evening, the regional bloc Ecowas, headed by President Bola Tinubu of neighbouring Nigeria, said the junta had a week to…
