The first military coup in West Africa took place on the 13th day of January 1963, in the Togolese coup d’état in Lome.
There is no doubt that there is a rising number of coups in West Africa, which has taken place over the last three years, across countries like Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and just recently Niger Republic.
The coup d’état in Mali began on the night of 24 May 2021, when the Malian Army led by Vice President Assimi Goïta captured President Bah N’daw, while in Guinea Bissau, the military overthrow of President Alpha Condé also took place in 2021, but in Burkina Faso, it’s coup d’état happened a year after, when the army, led by Damiba announced it had deposed President Roch Kabore on January 2022, after more than six years in power.
On Wednesday, another coup d’état took place in Niger Republic, after President Mohamed Bazoum was locked in his room by his guards in the Presidential Palace in Niamey.
All the coups over the last three years, in these West African countries have taken place in a time when, the countries were marred by poor governance by elected leaders, leading to insecurities, bad economy policies and suppression of opposition parties.
The recent wave of coup d’état in West Africa should not be taken lightly, as history always has a way of repeating itself.
