Niger’s military leader has declined to release the country’s ousted president, dismissing the offer made by the West African alliance, Ecowas, which sought his release in exchange for lifting sanctions.
Ecowas presented this proposal following a summit on Sunday, persisting with demands for the release of Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest since late July. His family reports a lack of information about his whereabouts since his unsuccessful attempt to escape detention on October 19.
The recent meeting of Ecowas leaders addressed the ongoing crisis in the region due to military takeovers in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea since 2020, and recent attempted coups elsewhere.
Despite Ecowas’s repeated appeals for the reinstatement of civilian rule in Niger, threats of military intervention, and the suspension of all trade ties, the junta has remained unmoved.
During Sunday’s meeting, Ecowas, along with local and international partners, reiterated calls for the release of Mr. Bazoum and urged the junta to curtail its envisaged three-year transition to civilian rule.
However, Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, Niger’s military leader, announced on state broadcaster RTN that Mr. Bazoum would not be freed, though he did agree to potentially shorten the transition period without specifying the duration.
In response, Ecowas announced on Monday that it would uphold sanctions on Niger while creating a committee to collaborate with the junta on devising a transition roadmap.
The gradual easing of sanctions would be contingent upon the outcomes of these discussions.
The attempt by Mr. Bazoum and his entourage to escape via helicopter on October 19 was thwarted, and family members claim they have not had contact with him since the day before the failed escape.
In the aftermath of the coup, Mr. Bazoum’s relatives have vocalized the “abusive” treatment they’ve endured at the hands of the new military regime.
