THE PECULIARITY OF THE NIGÉRIEN COUP AMONG THE MILITARY JUNTAS IN THE SAHEL (2020-2023): A WEB OF VESTED INTERESTS

Abstract

This study focuses on the peculiarity of the latest Niger military coup following the already established military governments, first in Mali, then in Guinea and Burkina Faso within the West African region. All these states are Francophone amid their Anglophone counterparts. Before 26 July, 2023 Nigerien coup, the experiences of other states put together had not degenerated into a political threat in the eyes of the ECOWAS, the regional bloc, and/or Nigeria which is the biggest democracy in the sub-Sahara. What had heated the polity across the globe immediately after the military took over in Niger, forms the basis of this study. The secondary method of data collection is optimally explored for this paper. This researcher adopts the Interventionist Theory by S.E. Finer to explain the developments that have led to the military takeovers in the affected states. While using qualitative analysis to critically examine both internal and external factors outside ECOWAS which have made the Nigerien situation more strategic compared to its other sister states. The recommendation is that all the democracy sympathizers should be proactive and less selective in addressing the institutional coups; the failure causes a military junta.