the military regime wants to prosecute the ousted president for “high treason”

2023-08-13 21:29:36

The perpetrators of the coup in Niger announced on Sunday August 13 their intention to ” pursue “ ousted president Mohamed Bazoum for ” high treason “ et “breach of security” from the country. The threat of military intervention by West African states to restore constitutional order still hangs over the country.

“The Nigerian government has gathered so far” THE “evidence to prosecute before the competent national and international authorities the ousted president and his local and foreign accomplices, for high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger”declared Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane, one of the members of the regime, in a press release read on national television.

The government bases its accusations on ” trades “ by Mohamed Bazoum with “national”of the “foreign heads of state”and “heads of international organizations”.

Visiting his doctor

Regarding the deposed president, the regime called for “to wonder about the sincerity of his claim to maintain that he is sequestered, even though the soldiers have never invested his presidential residence and he still has all the means of communication”. Mohamed Bazoum spoke several times with representatives of countries allied with Niger before the coup, such as the United States, and members of his political entourage.

The soldiers also ensure that he “regularly receives visits from his doctor”. According to an adviser to the overthrown president, a consultation took place on Saturday. “After this visit, the doctor did not raise any concerns about the state of health of the ousted president and his family members,” added the military.

Mohamed Bazoum, held in his presidential residence since July 26 – the day of the coup – with his son and his wife, had declared in several media to be a “hostage”then deprived of electricity and forced to eat only rice and pasta.

Sanctions “humiliating”

In addition, the military regime denounced “the illegal, inhuman and humiliating sanctions of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)”, taken at a summit of the organization on July 30, during which an ultimatum of 7 days was also set to restore constitutional order, under penalty of the use of force, which he did not applied.

During this summit, West African states announced, among other things, the suspension of financial and commercial transactions with Niger, which is economically and energetically dependent on foreign countries. These sanctions “go so far as to deprive the country of pharmaceutical products, foodstuffs” and of “supply of electric current”deplored the military in their press release.

Nigerian mediation

These declarations come after the reception by the military regime of a delegation of Nigerian Muslim religious leaders on Saturday, led with the agreement of Nigerian President Tinubu, also at the head of ECOWAS, to “ease the tensions created by the prospect of military intervention” organisation.

According to a press release from the Nigerian religious mediation, the head of the military regime, General Abdourahamane Tiani, had “said his door was open to explore the path of diplomacy and peace in order to resolve” crisis.

Last Thursday, during a new summit, the leaders of ECOWAS reaffirmed that they favored diplomatic means to restore President Bazoum to his duties, while ordering the mobilization and deployment of the “standby force” of ECOWAS.