The BBC's Mark Doyle: "The people of Niger have heard these promises before"

Former President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara was shot dead on Friday in a carefully planned assassination by members of his elite presidential guard.

The commander of that unit, Daouda Mallam Wanke, 45, has been made leader of the all-military National Reconciliation Council, now ruling Niger.

However the military junta has told pro-democracy activists and foreign diplomats, that free local and presidential elections will be held after an interim government - which will include civilians - is formed.

The precise dates of the democratic elections are still being worked out, but the soldiers have promised to return the country to civilian rule by the year 2000.

The civilian politicians in the pro-democracy movement said they would now mobilise their supporters to make sure the promise is kept.

Pressure for democracy

The BBC's West Africa Correspondent Mark Doyle reports that military rule was once accepted as almost inevitable in this part of Africa.

African journalist Stephen Smith talks about how much is known about Major Wanke

Nowadays pressure from Western donors and more crucially, the activities of home-grown pro-democracy movements have made it the exception rather than the rule.

Niger's influential southern neighbour, Nigeria, is also involved in a transition to democracy following the sudden death of a military strongman and this has clearly set an example for this country to follow.

But the citizens of Niger have heard promises from military governments before.

The assassinated President Mainassara also came to power in a military coup and when he organised elections the civilian opposition cried foul saying they were rigged in favour of the ruling party.