NIGER'S Rebel Soldiers Say They Will Indict Ousted President Mohamed Bazoum For "High Treason" And Undermining National Security, Hours After They Said They Were Ready To Negotiate With West African Nations To Resolve The Growing Regional Crisis.
The Announcement On National Television On Sunday Night, By
The Spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane, Said That The Military
Administration "Has Gathered The Necessary Evidence To Prosecute The
Deposed President And His Internal And External Allies For High Treason Against
The National And International Authorities. Undermining The Internal And
External Security Of Niger.”
Bazoum, Niger's Democratically Elected President, Was Ousted
By Members Of His Presidential Guard On July 26 And Has Since Been Under House
Arrest With His Wife And Child At The Presidential Residence In The Capital, Niamey.
People Close To The President As Well As Those Of The Ruling
Party Say Their Electricity And Water Have Been Cut Off And They Lack Food.
The Soldiers Dismissed These Reports On Sunday Night And
Accused West African Politicians And International Partners Of Fueling A
Disinformation Campaign To Discredit The Army.
International Pressure Is Mounting On The Military Government
To Release And Return Bazoum. Immediately After The Coup, The West African Regional
Bloc ECOWAS Gave The Administration Seven Days To Restore Him To Power Or
Threaten Military Force, But That Time Came And No Action Was Taken From Either
Side.
Last Week, ECOWAS Ordered The Deployment Of A
"Standby" Force, But It Is Still Unclear When Or If It Will Enter The
Country.