The military regime that came to power in Niger through a coup at the end of July claimed on Thursday evening October 19 that the deposed president Mohamed Bazoum, held prisoner since the putsch, had tried to flee abroad, in vain.
Thursday “around 3 a.m., deposed president Mohamed Bazoum, accompanied by his family, his two cooks and two security elements, tried to escape from his place of detention,” declared the regime’s spokesperson , Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, on national television. He said that this attempt had “failed” and that “the main perpetrators and some of their accomplices” had been arrested.
According to Mr. Abdramane, Mohamed Bazoum’s escape plan aimed to first take him “to a hideout on the outskirts of Niamey”, before taking “helicopters belonging to a foreign power” towards Nigeria.
Denouncing Mr. Bazoum’s “irresponsible attitude”, the spokesperson did not specify where the deposed president was on Thursday evening. The latter, who has refused to resign since the July 26 coup, was held prisoner in his residence within the presidential palace with his wife Haziza and his son Salem.
On September 18, he took legal action in West Africa to request his release and the restoration of constitutional order in Niger. Many countries and organizations continue to call for his release, but the ruling military regime remains inflexible for the time being.
A humanitarian airlift to Niamey
On Thursday, the European Union (EU) announced that it had set up a humanitarian airlift to deliver essential medicines and medical supplies to Niger, hit by international economic sanctions since the coup. Four flights will be chartered to transport 58 tonnes of “essential health supplies” with a view to “strengthening the humanitarian response” in this country, where “stocks of vital products are rapidly depleting”, indicates an EU press release.
The coup was denounced by many Western countries, most of which cut their development aid. As a result of the sanctions, humanitarians operating in Niger are experiencing “disruptions in the supply chain of essential products” and the population is facing “considerable price increases”, underlines the EU.
The military regime announced in October a 40% reduction in the national budget for 2023, due to these various sanctions which affect the economy of Niger, a country very dependent on foreign partners.
