Niger junta accuses ousted Bazoum as enabler of insecurity

Leaders of the military coup in Niger Republic say deposed President Mohamed Bazoum will be prosecuted for “high treason and undermining the internal and external security” of the country.

Bazoum, 63, has been kept at the president’s official residence since the July 26 coup.

In a statement read out on national television on Sunday, Amadou Abdramane, spokesman of the junta, said Bazoum was granted access to his doctors the previous day and that he was in fine state.

“After this visit, the doctor raised no problems regarding the state of health of the deposed president and members of his family,” he said.

“The Nigerien government has to date, gathered the necessary evidence to prosecute the deposed president and his local and foreign accomplices before the competent national and international authorities for high treason and undermining internal and external security of Niger,” Abdramane added.

On Sunday, the military junta told an Islamic delegation from neighbouring Nigeria that its doors are now open for dialogue and a diplomatic resolution of the crisis, amid economic sanctions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“We have agreed and the leader of our country has given the green light for dialogue,” said Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, Niger’s prime minister, who was recently appointed to the position by the junta.

“They (Muslim delegation) will now go back and inform the Nigerian President what they have heard from us…. we hope in the coming days, ECOWAS will come here to meet us to discuss how the sanctions imposed against us will be lifted.”

The junta said the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS were making it difficult for people to access medicines, food and electricity.

ECOWAS resolved last week to deploy a standby force to Niger in a bid to restore constitutional order to the country.