A man in the shadows and “with a fist”, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, head of the presidential guard of Niger at the origin of the fall of the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, will now lead a country undermined by jihadist violence and poverty.
Until then, this soldier in his fifties and commander of the presidential guard had been discreet on the public scene. On Friday, he appeared in broad daylight on national TV as president of the junta that took power.
“We don’t know him much outside military circles, he has no public presence displayed. He is a man in the shadows, powerful, but not a very consensual figure”, describes Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, researcher for International crisis group.
Reputed to be loyal to ex-president Mahamadou Issoufou, who had appointed him head of the presidential guard during his two five-year terms from 2011 to 2021, Abdourahamane Tchiani was reappointed to his post by Mohamed Bazoum, dolphin of Issoufou, then freshly elected to the presidency.
But, according to relatives of President Bazoum contacted by AFP, relations between General Tchiani and the Head of State had deteriorated for several months, Mohamed Bazoum having recently expressed his desire to replace him at the head of his guard.
The general “very rarely attended the official ceremonies and activities of the president”, often being represented by his deputy, Colonel Ibroh Amadou Bacharou, a member of the new junta, told AFP a close friend of the ousted president under cover of ‘anonymity.
“His replacement and a major overhaul of the presidential guard were to be decided on Thursday (July 27) in the Council of Ministers,” says another close friend of Mohamed Bazoum.
General Tchiani is from Filingué, a very arid and landlocked area, some 200 km northeast of Niamey, in the Tillabéri region, the scene of attacks by jihadist groups for years.
His detractors say he is “controversial” within the army.
But those close to him describe him as a “strong man”, “valiant” and above all “popular” with the approximately 700 elements of his unit.
“How could he have dragged his elements into the putsch if they did not trust him?” notes Issa Abdou, a civil society actor.
“In accordance with the directives of Mahamadou Issoufou, he transformed the presidential guard into a powerful machine equipped with sophisticated armaments”, underlines for his part an official.
According to the authorities, General Tchiani thwarted several coup attempts, in 2021 and 2022 in particular.
“General Tchiani is an officer who has proven himself in the field”, comments the ex-soldier, Amadou Bounty Diallo.
The new junta is led by high-ranking officers, some of whom have been identified by AFP as important figures in the Nigerien army, including General Salifou Mody, former chief of staff of the Armies, sacked in April .
Some had already participated in previous coups in a country with a history of putschs and attempts since its independence from France in 1960.
28/07/2023 17:59:36 – Niamey (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
