Niger's New Military Leader: Any Attack On Country Will Not Be "Walk In The Park"

On Friday military chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had decided to activate a "standby force".

NIAMEY - After the bloodless July 26th coup d'état by Niger's presidential guard on its president Mohamed Bazoum, the coup's leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani said that any attack against it would "not be a walk in the park". 

The military general who was previously the chief of Niger's presidential guard took over the country after the previous president Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown last month. 

The coup was condemned by the United States, while the European Union had threatened to cut aid to the country and the UN Security Council expressed its own "concern", calling the coup an effort to "unconstitutionally change the legitimate government" of Niger. 

A statement by the UN Security Council read, "The members of the Security Council expressed concern over the negative impact of unconstitutional changes of government in the region, increase in terrorist activities and the dire socio-economic situation".

New Prime Minister Appointed

On August 8th Ali Lamine Zeine was appointed the new Prime Minister of Niger by the leaders of the coup, a man who previously served as Niger's cabinet director and finance minister. 

Niger's military spokesman Amadou Abdramane said, "The President of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the  Homeland, Head of State, decrees. Article 1. Mr. Lamine Zeine Ali  Mahaman is appointed Prime Minister". 

Zeine reportedly spoke to the New York Times and addressed the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, stating, "Nothing will happen to him because we don't have a tradition of violence in Niger". 

ECOWAS Active Standby Force Ready To Attack: