Niger’s civil society and political coalition, the active forces, condemned the overnight incident at Niamey’s Air Base 101 and backed ruling authorities.
In a declaration issued Sunday afternoon in Niamey, the coordination of the active forces denounced the events as a mutiny and praised the response of loyalist defense and security forces.
The statement came after what the groups described as a “worrying situation” around midnight on the night of 28–29 August 2026, when unidentified individuals undertook actions for “selfish ends” aimed at slowing Niger’s march toward independence.
The active forces, meeting in a packed hall under scorching heat, chanted slogans in favor of the authorities, proclaiming: “Let no one be mistaken: Niger will not retreat, Niger will not submit, and Niger will prevail.
Our response will be firmness, our strength will be unity. Our victory will be vigilance.”
The declaration, read by the coordination’s president, Abdourahamane Oumarou, called on the competent services and the justice system to identify and punish the perpetrators, co-perpetrators, and accomplices of what it termed a “criminal enterprise.” It insisted that “the justice of the Republic must be implacable” with those who have chosen to betray the homeland, adding that “betrayal of the nation is not an ordinary offense: it must receive punishment commensurate with its gravity.” The statement also stressed that “sovereignty is never definitively acquired” and that vigilance must never weaken.
The active forces announced a rally in Niamey on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, at Place de la Concertation, and called on Nigerien citizens to mobilize peacefully through marches and rallies across the national territory and within the diaspora in the coming days to express support for Head of State General of the Army Abdourahamane Tiani.
In line with a communiqué signed by General of the Army Salifou Mody, the declaration urged the population to remain calm, go about their business normally, and stay vigilant against rumors, disinformation, and any attempt at manipulation.
The active forces also welcomed what they described as the prompt and firm reactions of Nigerien public opinion, the peoples of the AES space, and Africa, citing numerous condemnations of the destabilization attempt and messages of support addressed to the Nigerien people and the authorities of the Refoundation.
Source: Le Sahel