Niger’s Council of Ministers accused France of being behind the attempted army rebellion August 28 and 29 in Niamey. In a televised address on September 4, a government representative directly implicated France, claiming to have documentary evidence of what it calls an “aggression.”

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of General Abdourahamane Tiani, affirmed that the rebellion had been “orchestrated” by elements of the Special Intelligence Battalion of the Special Operations Command (BSR-COS), particularly at Air Base 101. Pointing to the “international ramifications” of the rebellion, the Council of Ministers criticized “the French regime of Mr. [Emmanuel] Macron,” as being at the head of a “vast network of collusion” aimed at destabilizing the country, challenging its sovereignty and its policy of regaining control of its natural resources. The statement also denounced the alleged role of certain African countries, presented as “gateways to destabilizing actions” attributed to France. The government has compiled “substantial documentation” which the Nigerien authorities are prepared to present to prove there was an aggression against the country, adding that it “reserves the right to take action before international courts.”

The statement follows an earlier public showing of a military arsenal reportedly recovered after the clashes, including 34 pickup trucks equipped with onboard weapons, two light armored vehicles, several dozen motorcycles, and a large stockpile of AK-47 rifles, RPG-7 rocket launchers, PKM machine guns, and 12.7- and 14.5-mm caliber weapons.