Insurgent group of Niger has declared the prosecution of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and undermining state security. The announcement came hours after they communicated that they were open to dialogue with West African Nations to settle the ascending regional crisis.
Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane, their spokesman, proclaimed on state television on Sunday night that the military regime had “gathered the necessary evidence to prosecute before competent national and international authorities the ousted president and his local and foreign accomplices for high treason and for undermining the internal and external security of Niger.”
Niger’s democratically elected president, Bazoum, was removed on July 26th, by the members of his presidential guard. The President, along with his wife and son has since been under house arrest in the presidential compound in the capital, Niamey.
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Those close to the president and in his ruling party complain of paucity of food, electricity and water. However, the junta dismissed all reports on state television, while it accused West African politicians and international partners of promulgating disinformation to discredit and vilify the junta.
International pressure to release and reinstate Bazoum has been growing increasingly. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS also gave the regime seven days to reinstate the president to power, immediately after the coup. The deadline however was not met with action from either side.
ECOWAS ordered the deployment of a “standby” force in the past week, but it’s still unclear when or whether it would enter the country.
