Niamey: Thousands of people who supported a military coup voiced anger over France’s influence in its former colony, Niger, resulting in tense and violent scenes in front of the French Embassy, CNN reported on Sunday.

The pro-coup protestors were seen chanting the names of Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite requests from the Kremlin to release the nation's democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum.

A plaque designating the Embassy was destroyed by some protesters, who later replaced it with Russian and Nigerian flags. In the masses, there were slogans of "down with France," "long live Putin," and "long live Russia."

In an effort to disperse the demonstrators, police officers in Niger used tear gas shells. People were seen attempting to set a fire outside the compound of the French Embassy, showed a photograph taken at the site.

Meanwhile, the office of President Emmanuel Macron declared that anyone attacking French persons or facilities in Niger would face prompt retaliation from France, as per CNN.

The Niger presidential guard's ouster of Bazoum and the installation of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland military junta have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community.

Since gaining independence from France in 1960, military coups have occurred frequently in Niger, however, political instability has decreased recently. In 2021, Bazoum was elected president in the nation's first democratic transfer of power.

ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, sought Bazoum's release and reinstatement within a week on Sunday, according to CNN.

The group declared it would "take all necessary measures to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger," including the use of force if the junta remained in power.

A slew of punitive measures, including the closure of the land and air borders with Niger, were also announced by ECOWAS.

The group declared that it will reject any sort of supposed resignation from Bazoum, whom they view as a hostage.

Earlier, it was stated that France and the European Union will support ECOWAS organisations in their decision to impose sanctions on the junta. The two had previously stopped providing money to Niger.

The military leaders of Niger may have found one possible ally in Chad, its eastern neighbour.

According to a source close to the Nigerien military, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Sunday and was seen as a key participant in the coup, CNN reported. Chad is not a member of the ECOWAS.

Before gaining its independence in 1860, Niger spent more than 50 years as a French colony. Strong diplomatic relations existed between the two nations prior to Thursday's coup, but many Nigeriens believe France has continued to treat Niger like an imperial state, depriving it of its natural riches and imposing its leaders' economic policies. One of the poorest nations in the world, Niger receives aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

“Niger has suffered too much under French orders. I’ve been unemployed for 10 years because of their system,” said Karimou Sidi, one of the demonstrators. “We want freedom.”

Hadiza Kanto, a university student who had come to protest, said he supported the leaders of the coup because “they are against France who robbed us all.”

“We’re going to get France out of Africa,” Kanto said.

In recent years, Russia has made an effort to increase its influence across the continent by capitalising on this anti-colonial attitude.

Thursday saw the arrival of 17 African heads of state in St Petersburg for the Africa-Russia summit, however, attendance was significantly lower than in recent years, perhaps as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.

The pro-Russian and anti-French movement is not new to the area. The most recent instance of it was in Burkina Faso, where the military administration demanded that French troops leave the nation earlier this year. It has been observed in a number of Sahel-region countries over the previous few years, CNN reported.