The party of the deposed president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, claimed on Wednesday that Bazoum and his family were being held in “cruel” and “inhumane” conditions at their home.
The party said there was no electricity, running water, food, or medical care.
They issued a statement saying this has been going on for five days now.
President Bazoum and his family have been in detention since July 26th, 2023, after the head of the presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tiani, seized power.
ECOWAS insists constitutional rule must prevail.
Leaders of the West African bloc ECOWAS are to meet in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday, August 10th, 2023.
This would be the second time the bloc is meeting to discuss the Niger coup – after a series of attempts to reinstate the ousted president failed.
The Summit seeks to mull their options, with diplomacy apparently edging out military intervention at present after a showdown last weekend.
“Diplomacy and peace seem to be the way forward,” said President Bola Tinubu, who is Nigeria’s president and chair of ECOWAS.
Niger’s military leaders were given until last Sunday to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or face the possibility of force from the bloc, which is struggling to prevent a series of coups among its members.
But the coup leaders were unyielding, and the deadline came and went with no response.
On Tuesday, plans to dispatch a team of representatives from ECOWAS, the United Nations, and the African Union (AU) to the capital city of Niamey fell through.
As a result of public outcry against ECOWAS sanctions, the coup leaders claimed they could not ensure the “safety” of the mission.
Coup leaders accused France
France has outrightly condemned the coup in Niger – amid a series of sanctions on Niger since the military takeover.
Thousands of youths in the country could be seen brandishing placards on Sunday – calling on France to pull out of the West African nation – while expressing support for Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin.
There is little prospect for a quick diplomatic resolution in Niger after the junta there accused France on Wednesday of violating its airspace as part of a wider conspiracy to destabilize the country.
In the statement, Abdramane claimed, “What we are seeing is a plan to destabilize our country,” implying that France was attempting to damage the legitimacy of the junta in the eyes of the people and sow fear.
The French government has immediately denied all these accusations.
Niger, strategic in the sub-region
Uranium is the most popular nuclear fuel, and Niger is the seventh-largest producer in the world. It also exports 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Benin via a brand-new export pipeline, the vast majority of which comes from Chinese-run enterprises.
Uranium also helps in generating electricity in France – but only 14% of Nigeriens have access to electricity – with more than ¾ of the country without a power supply.
The coup leaders in Niamey have received substantial support from the military rulers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, – of whom have a history of anti-French rhetoric.
As part of international efforts to battle Islamist terrorists wreaking havoc in the Sahel region, the now-deposed civilian government of Niger agreed to host French troops, along with those of the United States, Italy, and Germany.
The junta has already terminated several military agreements with France, but the French government has opposed the move, arguing that the junta does not represent Niger’s legal authorities.
