Niger “moving forward” Despite Coup Stalemate: Catholic Missionary Priest

The coup that led to the suspension of all political activities and the closure of borders attracted the attention of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of state, who convened a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on July 30 where they issued a seven-day ultimatum to the coup plotters to surrender power back to the President.

The Generals of the Nigerien coup defied the ECOWAS order. Defense chiefs of ECOWAS are reported to have drawn a plan for the possible use of force to reinstate the overthrown President, including how and when to deploy troops.

Members of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA) were among religious leaders who expressed their opposition to military intervention in the Muslim-dominated nation saying that lives in Niger and her neighbors are at stake should the option be embraced.

“We affirm and insist to ECOWAS and the African Union that any military intervention in Niger at this time would complicate the situation of the people of Niger and the sub-region more than it would provide solutions,” RECOWA members said in their statement shared with ACI Africa on August 9.

Amid the stalemate between the coup plotters and officials of ECOWAS on military intervention in Niger, Fr. Casamayor says the focus is on handling the country’s looming threats, including famine.

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“We are thinking about this in a special way at the moment; how to deal with the famine that threatens the country in the coming months and that is already looming,” the Italian-born Catholic missionary Priest says, and adds, “The harvests are bad; the rains have arrived late.”

The SMA member says that the military takeover has impacted the country’s economy negatively as “the neighboring countries have closed their borders because of the coup and the prices of basic foods have skyrocketed and will continue to rise.”

“We discussed this at a meeting of the parish committee. The verdict is unanimous: Hunger is just around the corner; in some places it is already there, and something needs to be done. But what can we do? Pray and ask friends to help us,” says Fr. Casamayor who has served the Dosso community in Niger’s Niamey Archdiocese since 2021.

Despite the threats that might come with the coup, the Italian-born Catholic Priest talks about his mission with blind children and the progress so far realized.

“We cannot forget the (not-so) privileged ones,” he says, and adds, “We have been working with them and for them for four years, both in Gaya and in Dosso, and I think we can be happy, not only for them, as their faces and gestures show, but also for their parents.”

“We want to achieve even more in the years to come, namely, recognition by the state, establishment of an adequate education and training program, and provision of adequate eye care,” Fr. Casamayor says in the August 31 Agenzia Fides report.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.