In Niger, ousted president Mohamed Bazoum is with his family and 'doing well'

The Nigerien president, Mohamed Bazoum, overthrown at the end of July by a coup d’état and accused by the military of having tried to escape, is in Niamey with his wife and son, and is doing well, we learned, Sunday October 22, Agence France-Presse (AFP) with his entourage.

“He is at the presidential residence [in Niamey] with his wife and son and is doing well,” one of his relatives told AFP, adding that he was only able to make one phone call to say that he was good with his family. She said her doctor was able to visit her and “bring her some food.”

Thursday evening, the military regime in Niamey claimed that Mohamed Bazoum had “tried to escape” with his family and other people, by wanting to borrow “helicopters belonging to a foreign power” on the outskirts of Niamey heading to Nigeria. . The regime clarified that this attempt had failed and that “the main perpetrators and some of their accomplices” had been arrested.

Emmanuel Macron had expressed “his deep concern”

These “fabricated” accusations were “strongly” denied on Friday by a group of Mr. Bazoum’s lawyers claiming that he was being held “incommunicado”, raising concerns about his fate.

French President Emmanuel Macron had expressed “his deep concern about the uncertain situation” of Mr. Bazoum and called “for his immediate release as well as that of his wife and son.”

Since the coup d’état which overthrew him on July 26, Mr. Bazoum has been sequestered and has refused to submit his resignation. On September 18, he took legal action in West Africa to request his release and the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which had just after the coup considered military intervention to reinstate Mr. Bazoum in his functions, finally gave up.

Former colonial power and privileged ally of the regime of the overthrown president in its fight against the jihadist groups striking Niger, France was forced two months after the coup to announce the withdrawal by the end of the year of its 1,400 soldiers from Niger.

French soldiers had previously had to withdraw from neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, also led by putschist soldiers and plagued by jihadist violence.