Abdourahmane Tchiani, Head of Niger's Presidential Guard, Declares Himself Head of Transition Government Abdourahmane Tchiani, the head of Niger's presidential guard, has announced that he will head a transitional government in the West African nation, just two days after the unit he leads overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tchiani, in a televised statement, said the intervention was necessary to avoid "the gradual and inevitable demise" of the country.

Nigerien General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who led the resistance to a thwarted coup attempt in March 2021, has now declared himself head of the country's transition government.

Tchiani's announcement comes just two days after his unit, the presidential guard, arrested President Mohamed Bazoum in the presidential palace in Niamey.

In a defiant message, President Mohamed Bazoum vowed to protect Niger’s "hard-won gains" in establishing democracy, even as General Abdourahmane Tchiani declared himself head of a transition government.

Bazoum's statement, made hours after his arrest by Tchiani's unit, the presidential guard, came against the backdrop of the West African region's resurgence as the "coup belt", raising concerns about the stability of the Sahel, one of the world's most volatile regions.