General Abdourahmane Tchiani declares self president of Niger Republic  General Abdourahmane Tchiani, head of Niger’s presidential guard, has named himself head of a transitional government in the West African country. This comes two days after his unit overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. READ ALSO: Niger Coup plotters warn Tinubu, UN, others against interference He made the announcement on Friday on state-run television, saying he was the “president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland”. The 62-year-old general also said the intervention had been necessary to avoid “the gradual and inevitable...