On Friday, as protesters gathered to voice their opposition to the ouster of the elected president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, the group behind the coup named an army general as the new leader of the nation.

Bazoum had been imprisoned and overthrown a few days before.

France, the nation’s former coloniser, had already pleaded with the group to recognise Mohamed Bazoum as President and heed international calls.

General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who has been in charge of the Presidential Guard since 2011, however, read a statement as the “president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland” on state television.

The general described the coup as a reaction to “the degradation of the security situation” brought on by terrorists’ slaughter.

As Western powers struggle to maintain a crucial ally in the insurgency-wracked area, French President Emmanuel Macron called the events in the capital of Niger, Niamey, a coup that is hurting the entire region.

“This coup is completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous, for Nigeriens, for Niger, and for the whole region,” Macron said, calling for Bazoum’s release.

General Tchiani said that while Bazoum had sought to convince people that “all is going well… the harsh reality (is) a pile of dead, displaced, humiliation and frustration”.

“The security approach today has not brought security to the country despite heavy sacrifices,” he said.

Bazoum and his family have been confined since Wednesday morning to their residence at the presidential palace located within the Guard’s military camp.

He is said to be “in good health” and has been able to “talk by telephone to other heads of state including Macron.”

The Guard’s chiefs staged the coup and Thursday they won the support of the country’s army.

General Abdou Sidikou Issa, the head of the armed forces, jumped into action and pledged his support behind the putschists, stating it was “to avoid a deadly confrontation.”

As the most recent target of a coup in the unstable Sahel region of Africa, Bazoum has attempted to maintain his position despite growing criticism from regional and international organisations, allies Germany and the US, and France.

“The hard-won [democratic] gains will be safeguarded,” Bazoum said on Twitter.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna had held out hope for Bazoum’s position.

“If you hear me talking about an attempted coup, it’s because we don’t consider things final,” she said. “There is still a way out if those responsible listen to the international community.”

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) would hold a summit “probably on Sunday”, where “possible sanctions could be decided”, Colonna said.

France, which has 1,500 soldiers in Niger, would back the trade bars.

ECOWAS has demanded Bazoum’s “immediate release”, saying he “remains the legitimate and legal President of Niger”.