Niger coup: Why Niger military junta mata to di rest of di world

Di military coup for Niger don cause panic among dia African neighbours wey dey worry about instability wey dey grow for di Sahel — di belt of land wey stretch across from Atlantic Ocean to di Red Sea.

Niger na di latest kontri for di region wia di military don seize power, afta coups for Mali and Burkina Faso for di past three years.

But di situation for Niger no be just sometin wey dey worry di Sahel and fit get wider impact around di globe.

Insurgency don increase

Niger na one of di few democracies wey remain for di Sahel, wey di West dey see as one stable state for one trouble region wey don see recent rise for violent attacks.

But now wey di army don seize power, worry dey say dis stability may work out.

Niger host French and US military bases wey dey help di fight against Boko Haram and ISIS ally.

Di future of dis now no sure. Di military coups for Mali and Burkina Faso don lead to increase for violent attacks by extremists. Worry dey say Niger fit also become one fertile ground for dis groups.

Growing coup culture

Niger coup mean say from Mali for west to Sudan for east, one whole stretch of Africa now dey under di control of military regimes.

Di rise of authoritarian regimes for di Sahel na setback for di region democracy. Di coup for Niger fit make military for oda kontris to get mind to seize power.

Dis concern explain why di regional economic bloc, Ecowas, don sama sanctions on junta and don threaten to use force if President Bazoum no reinstated. Di move dey supported wella by di US, di EU and di United Nations.

Growing Russian influence

Afta dia coups, Mali and Burkina Faso join demselves closer to Russia. Di military junta for Niger don dey give di impression say dem fit move go di same direction.

No proof say Russia get hand for Niger military takeover. One Kremlin tok-tok pesin don call for Oga Bazoum release and for one peaceful resolution to di crisis.

But, Pro-Kremlin commentators don praise di coup on top state-run media and Telegram groups. Pro-coup demonstrators don wave Russian flags and condemn France, di former colonial power. Worry dey say di Russian Wagner mercenary group dey expand dia influence for Niger.

If Niger follow dia neighbours go turn towards Russia, and in particular di Wagner group, dis fit lead to rise for violent attacks, human rights abuse and take advantage of dia mineral.

Uranium for wrong hands

Niger account for nearly five percent of di global supply of uranium, di radioactive metal wey dey power nuclear energy. Na di second-largest supplier of natural uranium to di EU last year, according to di European Union nuclear agency, Euratom. Also dey supply about 15% of France uranium.

Euratom say no immediate risk to nuclear power production for Europe in case Niger cut im deliveries of uranium sake of power stations get inventories wey go last for three years.

Despite dis, neither Ecowas nor dia Western partners go want di radioactive material — wey dem dey use for both civilian and military settings — to fall enta di wrong hands for one region wia militant Islamists dey active, and Russia and di Wagner group dey expand dia influence.

Migration gbege

President Bazoum goment na partner to European kontries sake of say e stop di flow of migrants across di Mediterranean Sea and e bin gree to take back hundreds of migrants wey dey detention centres for Libya.

E don also crack down on human traffickers for wetin don be key transit point between kontries for West Africa and those further north.

Under one military junta wey dem fit kwesion commitment, particularly afta some European partners like France and UK don tok say dem go stop aid to Niger. Dis fit get significant impact for di way wey migrants dey cross to Europe.