General Abdourahamane Tchiani, leader of the Niger Republic junta, has said the Nigerien military will hand over power to the civilian government within the next three years.

General Tchiani, who spoke in a televised broadcast on Saturday night, said: “Our ambition is not to confiscate power” and that any transition of power “would not go beyond three years.”

But he warned that “if an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think.

“ECOWAS is getting ready to attack Niger by setting up an occupying Army in collaboration with a foreign Army.”

In his 12-minute speech, Tiania denounced what he called the “illegal” and “inhuman” sanctions levied by ECOWAS against Niger since the military seized power.

He also announced a 30-day period of “national dialogue” to draw up “concrete proposals” to lay the foundations of “a new constitutional life”

Tchiani’s broadcast came hours after meeting with a delegation of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) led by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) with the Niger Republic coupists.

He, however, added that the door for negotiation was still open.

ECOWAS is yet to react to the speech of the junta leader but Abdulsalami is expected to brief the regional bloc on the outcome of the meeting.