Military junta in Niger sets to release detained former leader, Mohamed Bazoum: Reports

The military junta in the Republic of Niger has agreed to release the detained former president, Mohamed Bazoum, who was removed in a coup in 2023.

Daily Trust Nigeria, while citing sources in Nigeria and neighbouring Niger, disclosed that efforts are underway to release the former leader and his wife, Khadija, within a few days into the holy month of Ramadan.

The main obstacle to the planned release of Bazoum among the ruling military officers in Niger is the former leader’s insistence on remaining in Niger, declaring that he was not interested in relocating to another country.

The source quoted said, “And this is where the coup leaders have some issues…They would have loved a situation whereby Bazoum will leave the shores of the country and go somewhere,” one of the sources said.

“They are mindful of his popularity even though they have, to a greater extent, also proved to the citizens that they are patriots and not puppets of anyone.

“While they are not averse to releasing the removed president, one thing is clear, they are not willing to bring him back to power.

“They will also prefer to keep him in one of their facilities as a freed man. He will be entitled to state protection while enjoying the freedom to receive guests,” the source said.

The report added that the ruling junta is concerned about the possibility of sympathisers of the ousted president staging protests demanding “absolute freedom” for him, since the agreement at the moment is that Bazoum will still remain under some sort of house arrest.

Bazoum enjoys the support of French President Emmanuel Macron, and, by extension, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders.

Recall that the former president, his wife, and his son, Salem, were arrested and detained by the coup leaders who took over last July.

The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, had in late February removed most sanctions imposed on Niger over last year’s coup as part of moves to end the regional political crisis.