Wife, Son Of Deposed Niger President Released

Wife and son of deposed President of Niger Republic, Mohammed Bazoum, have reportedly regained their freedom from house arrest on Tuesday following last year’s coup that toppled Bazoum.

This news reportedly elicited commendation from Nigeria’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who in a statement yesterday, stressed that it is 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 by 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 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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria met with stiff opposition from varied groups including the West African lawmakers in the ECOWAS Parliament.