Wife and son of ousted President of Niger Republic, Mohammed Bazoum, have regained their freedom from house arrest on Tuesday.
They were placed under house arrest since July 26, 2023 coup that toppled President Bazoum.
The news reportedly elicited commendation from Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who in a statement on Tuesday, stressed that it was a logical step to return normalcy to the beleaguered country.
The ousted Nigerien President and members of his family were banished into house arrest by the military junta led General Abdourahamane Tchiani, which toppled the democratic government of Niger accusing him of incompetence.
Tuggar, who is also the Chairperson of the Mediation and Security Council of ECOWAS, said “it is a logical step in bringing normalcy back to the country and the region in general.”
He again called on the government led by Tchiani to hasten the release of Mohammed Bazoum from its custody and allow him to fly to a third country as a step towards further talks on lifting sanctions and to initiate the transition to constitutional rule in the interest of the people, peace and stability of Niger and the region.
The global outcry that the coup in Niger generated was unprecedented such that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) chaired by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, imposed a raft of sanctions against the regime in Niamey.
However, ECOWAS threat of the use of force to restore democratic order in Niger met with stiff opposition from varied groups, including the West African lawmakers in the ECOWAS Parliament.
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