DAKAR (Reuters) – Lawyers representing Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum have claimed that he is being held in a secret location by the junta that took power in the West African country. They denied allegations that the president had attempted to escape. Bazoum has been in detention since a coup on July 26, and there have been international calls for his release. The junta announced on Thursday evening that Bazoum and his family, aided by individuals in the security forces, had planned to drive a vehicle to the outskirts of the capital Niamey and take a helicopter to neighboring Nigeria. However, Reuters was unable to verify this information. Bazoum’s lawyers refuted the claims, labeling them as fabrication and expressing concern about the secret detention.
Mohamed Seydou Diagne, one of Bazoum’s lawyers, argued, “We strongly reject these unfounded accusations against President Bazoum.” He further stated that the junta had crossed a line by secretly detaining him. The lawyers also highlighted that Bazoum and his family have had no contact with lawyers or the outside world. In their statement, they mentioned that the president and his family were previously kept at the presidential residence in Niamey, where electricity had been cut since August 2. They also mentioned that only one doctor was allowed to visit them every other day to provide supplies, but on Friday, the doctor was denied access.
The lawyers demanded evidence from the junta demonstrating that the president, his wife, and son are alive. Niger experienced one of five coups in the central Sahel region of West Africa in the past three years, which has resulted in military rulers governing a vast area of arid land south of the Sahara Desert. Similar to neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, the removal of Bazoum was partly due to the increasing insecurity caused by an Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives in the region. The military claimed that it would be better equipped to handle this issue compared to a civilian government.
Bazoum’s political party and family members have reported the lack of access to basic necessities such as running water, electricity, and fresh supplies. This has led to condemnation from the country’s former western allies. Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Hugh Lawson
