Niger military takeover saved Nigeria from imminent disaster — Coup leader

General Abdourahmane Tchiani, leader of the Niger junta, has said the military takeover in his country saved Nigeria from an imminent disaster.

According to Sheik Bala Lau, Chairman of Jam’atul Izalatu Bida Waikamatu Sunnah, Tchiani said this during a meeting that a Nigerian delegation of clerics had with the junta in Niamey, Niger’s capital, on Saturday.

He claimed the coup was well intended, adding that “they struck to starve off an imminent threat that would have affected not only Niger Republic but also Nigeria”.

It is unclear what the junta head meant as the statement did not quote to have gone into details.