The recent failed coup attempt in Niamey has reignited a familiar debate across the Sahel: who was behind it, and what does it say about the region’s fragile sovereignty?
While the immediate facts remain contested, a prominent Burkinabè commentator has offered a stark interpretation, placing the event within a broader narrative of foreign interference and internal betrayal.
Writing in the Burkinabè daily Sidwaya, Boubakar Sy argues that the plot was primarily orchestrated by France and its intelligence services, citing General Abdramane Tiani’s claim that President Emmanuel Macron has sworn not to leave power “with his tail between his legs.”
However, Sy insists that the attempt could not have begun without the treachery of Nigerien soldiers and civilians, whom he describes as hired by “international imperialism” to keep their country under a humiliating yoke.
Sy’s commentary, titled “Treachery and Infamy,” draws on the tormented history of the continent, invoking the assassinations of Patrice Lumumba, Sylvanius Olympio, Marien Ngouabi, and Thomas Sankara.
He suggests that, as in those cases, traitors close to the inner circle of Nigerien power were responsible for the recent plot, the success of which would have plunged the country into chaos and paved the way for the return of so-called “saviors” of the continent.
The piece also echoes a warning frequently voiced by Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, that treachery is one of the major dangers threatening the region’s sovereignist processes.
Sy’s analysis reflects a broader sentiment in parts of the Sahel, where France’s military withdrawal and shifting alliances have fueled both hope and anxiety about the future.
Since being expelled from the central Sahel, France has faced economic slump, unemployment, and social unrest at home, according to Sy.
He portrays Macron as obsessed with dismantling the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by removing one of its leaders, thereby unraveling the nascent sovereignist space.
This perspective, while not universally shared, resonates with those who view the coup attempt as a last-ditch effort by a declining power to reassert control.
Sy’s commentary also turns inward, criticizing unworthy soldiers “without faith or law” who, driven by lust for gain and moral weakness, would carry out such dirty work.
He notes the stirring of the “ethnic fiber” as a tactic in a continent where civic consciousness and patriotism are often variable. Rather than feeding on patriotism, he argues, traitors prefer “fresh money” to satisfy personal urges.
The solution, in Sy’s view, lies in vigilance and ideological rearmament. He calls on leaders to maintain high levels of alertness, with effective intelligence services and permanent citizen watchfulness.
He also emphasizes the need to elevate revolutionary consciousness, particularly among African youth, who he says are mentally malleable and often unaware of the geostrategic issues of the hour.
“Ideological and cultural rearmament, that is the major challenge for our authorities to take up,” Sy writes, adding that an educated and conscious youth will prevent treachery from thriving.
He concludes with a call to fight terrorism, develop the country, and overcome obstacles while keeping “a clear mind and dry eyes.”
The failed coup attempt in Niger, which occurred last weekend, has been met with a mix of relief and concern across the region.
While the full details of the plot remain unclear, the incident has underscored the fragility of the Sahel’s political transitions and the ongoing struggle for sovereignty in a region long shaped by external powers.
Source: Quotidien Sidwaya