The US has poured $500 million into training and equipping Niger’s military over the past decade and overthrew the country’s now democratically elected president.

The Nigerian military has declared that it has removed President Mohamed Bazoom from power amid a coup that began last Wednesday led by a general who studied at the Pentagon-backed International Security College, Reuters report. The United States has spent $500 million on training and arming Nigerian soldiers and on stationing more than 1,000 US troops in the region. according to To the US Embassy in Niger.

Secretary of State Anthony Brinken said over the weekend that the US-Niger partnership was in a “clear crisis”.

“The economic and security partnership with Niger is huge, in the hundreds of millions of dollars, but depends on the continuation of democratic governance and constitutional order, which has been disrupted in recent days’ actions,” Blinken said. Said at a press conference on Saturday. “So that support, that support, is clearly at stake as a result of these actions and this is another reason why these actions need to be withdrawn immediately.”

As of 2021, the United States has spent $500 million in security assistance to Niger since 2012, according to To the US Embassy in Niger. This includes a training program for the Nigerian Armed Forces through a “Long Term Capacity Building Programme” and pre-deployment training and equipping soldiers from two Nigerian battalions.

The funds also include funding for the expansion of the Nigerien Armed Forces Command, Niger’s intelligence and surveillance capabilities, vehicles and fuel storage facilities.

Moreover, the spearhead of the effort to overthrow Bazoom was Abdulrahmane Chiani, a Nigerian general who leads an elite force tasked with protecting the president. Ciani underwent military training in Morocco, France, Senegal and the United States, and attended the International Security Institute (CISA) in Washington, D.C., according to a biography released by the new military government. report.

CISA is “the Department of Defense’s flagship for education and partner capacity building to combat terrorism, irregular warfare, and joint deterrence at the strategic level.” according to to the school’s website.

Nigerian soldiers and presidential bodyguards attacked Mr Bazoom last week, locked him in the presidential palace and declared their intention to overthrow the democratically elected president.

The U.S. embassy in Niger said the Nigerian military has suspended flights from the Agadez drone base, which the U.S. built as part of a $500 million security assistance package.Niger borders closed, nationwide curfew imposed, Reuters report.

On Monday, the Nigerien army began arresting democratically elected government politicians, including the mining and oil ministers and the leader of the ruling party. according to to Reuters.Military groups in neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Guinea have expressed support for the coup leader in Niger, warning that foreign military intervention would be considered an act of war, Reuters report.

Anti-imperialist riots explode in the streets #Niger Today, Biden’s grip on Africa is even looser. The pro-Western government was overthrown by the military yesterday. Today, that ruling party building is just engulfed in smoke. #anti-reportpic.twitter.com/8T5BnKmHgH

— GhostofDurruti (@DurrutiRiot) July 27, 2023

Ciani said the military had seized power from the Bazoom government because of deteriorating security in the region after years of Islamist insurgency, according to Reuters. He declared himself head of state last Friday when he appeared on national television. report.

“We cannot continue with the same approach that has been proposed so far because we risk witnessing the gradual and inevitable disappearance of our country,” Ciani said.

Like Blinken, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller did not call the military takeover of Niger a coup, but instead an “attempt” to remove Mr. Bazoom from power. (Related article: American aid worker released after six years incarcerated)

Street shootings: Riots erupt after failed coup in Niger. pic.twitter.com/dfSKM49Ncw

— Armata T14 (@ManazRaptor338) July 27, 2023

“The situation is still ongoing and fluid. Clearly there has been an attempt to remove President Bazoom,” Miller said. Said on monday. “It is not yet clear whether that attempt will ultimately succeed, so we are closely monitoring and monitoring the situation and endeavoring to prevent the impeachment of President Bazoom.”

At this time, the United States has not declared the situation in Niger a coup.US law bans foreign aid to countries whose elected leaders have been overthrown in a ‘coup’, Reuters report.

“We have been very clear, and Secretary Brinken has also made it clear that in the future, the hundreds of millions of dollars of aid that the United States has provided and continues to provide to Niger will be very balanced depending on the outcome. There is “about behavior in this country,” Miller said.

The US military has stopped training and advising Nigerian forces. according to To Politico reporter Lara Seligman.

The Pentagon, White House, CISA and State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

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