Abdourahamane Tchiani vs Gaafar Nimeiry

Tchiani was appointed commander of Niger's Presidential Guard under President Mahamadou Issoufou. He held this position through the transition to President Mohamed Bazoum in 2021, building a loyal military force that later enabled his coup.

General Abdourahamane Tchiani led the Presidential Guard in detaining President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023. Tchiani declared himself head of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, overthrowing the elected government and suspending the constitution.

Following the July 2023 coup, the Economic Community of West African States imposed severe economic sanctions on Niger, including border closures and asset freezes. Tchiani's junta faced international isolation and economic pressure.

Gaafar Nimeiry, then a colonel, led the Free Officers Movement in a bloodless coup that overthrew the civilian government of Prime Minister Mohamed Ahmed Mahgoub. Nimeiry established the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) and declared Sudan a socialist state.

Nimeiry signed the Addis Ababa Agreement with the Anyanya rebel group, ending the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972). The agreement granted southern Sudan regional autonomy and ended 17 years of conflict, marking a major achievement in Nimeiry's early rule.

Nimeiry abandoned his socialist policies and adopted Islamic Sharia law, imposing hudud punishments and dissolving the southern autonomy. This decision alienated the non-Muslim south and reignited civil war, leading to the formation of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

Nimeiry was overthrown by a military coup led by General Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab while he was on a visit to the United States. The coup was triggered by widespread protests against economic hardship, corruption, and the ongoing civil war. Nimeiry went into exile in Egypt.