Niger Republic junta names prime minister, others as ECOWAS meets Thursday

Niger Republic junta names prime minister, others as ECOWAS meets Thursday

As Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) plans to meet on Thursday on the military takeover in Niger Republic, the junta is taking decisions to stabilise the regime.

Already, head of the junta, Abdourahmane Tiani, has named Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, former minister of economy and finance, as the country’s new prime minister.

The appointment announced in a statement on Monday night is coming about two weeks after the military took over power in Niger.

The new prime minister had served in the cabinet of then-president Mamadou Tandja, who was toppled by the country’s military in 2010.

He replaces Mahamadou Ouhoumoudou, who was in Europe during the coup.

The junta also appointed Amadou Didilli as the head of the country’s High Authority for Peace Consolidation (HACP) and Abou Tague Mahamadou as the inspector-general of the army and the national gendarmerie.

Ibro Amadou Bachirou was appointed as the private chief of staff of the junta leader while Habibou Assoumane was named the commander of the presidential guard.

Tiani, until his new role as Niger’s head of state, had led the presidential guard and currently holds democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum hostage.

The ultimatum by ECOWAS to coup plotters to reinstate Bazoum or risk a military intervention expired on Sunday.