Nigeriens Call For Mass-Up Of Army Volunteers
*As Putin offers military and technology ties as counter against West
Nigeriens have called for a mass-up of volunteer recruitment in support of the country’s army as a counter measure against a growing external threat.
The Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS, insists on tighter sanctions and military invasion of Niger in the event of continued refusal by the junta to reinstate the deposed democratic President, Mohamed Bazoum.
The volunteer drive, spearhead by a group of locals in the country’s capital, Niamey, is aimed at adding tens of thousands of volunteers from across the country to register for the defense of Niger, assist with medical care and among others, provide technical and engineering logistics.
One of the initiators of the programme, Amsarou Bako, explained that the drive became necessary because Niger needs to be ready for eventuality.
“It’s an eventuality. We need to be ready whenever it happens,” he said. The recruitment drive will launch Saturday in Niamey as well as in cities where invasion forces might enter, such as near the borders with Nigeria and Benin, two countries, which have said they would participate in an intervention.
"Anyone over 18 can register and the list will be given to the junta to call upon people if needed, said Bako. The junta is not involved, but is aware of the initiative," he explained.
Meanwhile, Russia President, Vladimir Putin, has offered to deepened his country’s bilateral relationship with countries pursuing national interests against the West, following increasing anti-French in Africa.
Putin who made the promise in a video address to the international military-technical forum Army-2023 in Moscow, noted that Russia is ready to provide both technology and military partnership in countries expressing a nationalistic desire and independent development path.
“Russia is open to deepening equal technological partnership and military-technical cooperation with other countries, with everyone who defends their national interests, their independent path of development,” he said.
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