Finland censures coup in Niger, demands President´s release

Finland on Wednesday strongly condemned the illegal coup in Niger and demanded immediate release of the elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted from a military coup on July 28.

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen made the condemnation in a twitter post where she also expressed full support to the move taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore the constitutional order of the country.

“Finland strongly condemns the ongoing illegal coup in Niger and continues to demand the immediate release of the democratically elected President. Full support for ECOWAS efforts to restore the constitutional order. Finland stands for democracy and the rule of law,” Valtonen wrote in her twitter.

On July 28, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, former leader of Niger's presidential guard, was named President of the National Council following a military coup in the West African country.

Soldiers in Niger announced on state television that they had overthrown Bazoum. The Nigerien president has been in detention ever since the coup happened, reported Xinhua.

Bazoum assumed office in 2021 after winning the elections. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, Niger has witnessed four coups.

Meanwhile, The defense chiefs of countries within the 15-member t African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday began a three-day meeting in Nigeria over the situation in Niger where soldiers recently overthrew the elected government of Mohammed Bazoum.

A statement by the ECOWAS Commission said on Tuesday that defense chiefs from ECOWAS countries attended the meeting in the Nigerian capital of Abuja in response to the directive of the authority of heads of state and government during an extraordinary session on Sunday, where West African leaders imposed sanctions on Niger and warned of taking all necessary measures, including the use of force, to restore constitutional order.