Burkina Faso’s Junta leader, Capitaine Ibrahim TRAORÉ, has publicly blamed Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly holding him and ECOWAS responsible for the deaths of thousands of Nigériens.
The Junta states, including Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, have found themselves at odds with ECOWAS, occasionally engaging in verbal sparring. The root cause of this discord lies in ECOWAS’s imposition of economic sanctions on these countries, a response to the military coups that have taken place in the region.
The speech delivered by Capitaine Ibrahim TRAORÉ sheds light on the Junta’s perspective and the repercussions they claim ECOWAS’s actions have had on the citizens of Niger.
According to the Junta leader, the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS have resulted in the death of thousands of Nigériens.
“Do you think there are weak men who are in Niger? There are fighters over there. The Nigérien army is warlike. They have been fighting for years. It’s not an army of parade or a peacekeeping army. And the armies of the AES decided to unite,” said Capitaine Ibrahim TRAORÉ during his impassioned speech.
He went on to criticize ECOWAS’s sanctions, pointing out the dire consequences they claim to have caused: “Thousands of Nigériens died on their hospital beds because of a lack of electricity or lack of medicine. It is a crime! They are responsible for these sanctions; they are responsible for these deaths.”
In recent weeks, the Junta states have forged ahead with their own plans, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and deciding to exit ECOWAS. Capitaine Ibrahim TRAORÉ emphasized the growing strength and resilience of the AES, stating that ECOWAS’s actions, like retracting electricity supply to Mali, only served to make the people more invested in their new Junta government.
“They tried to make Mali suffer, and of course by ignoring all the texts to no longer supply Mali with electricity, hoping that the population will revolt. It is not working,” remarked Capitaine Ibrahim TRAORÉ.
He also addressed the issue of seaport closures, raising concerns about international laws being violated. The speech, shared on social media by journalist Sy Marcus Herve Traore, paints a picture of a Junta leader defiant in the face of regional pressure.
Sy Marcus Herve Traore concluded his tweet, noting that the ECOWAS leadership has been irresponsible, contributing to economic complications and the death of thousands of Nigériens.
“This is why Captain said that all of ECOWAS and…all those pulling the strings are all responsible for those sanctions and for the deaths of thousands of Nigériens,” he said.
