What Will Happen To Captive President Bazoum – Niger PM

What Will Happen To Captive President Bazoum – Niger PM

Niger’s new prime minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, told The New York Times on Friday that the generals who carried out the July 26 coup to overthrow President Mohamed Bazoum assure that no harm will come to him.

Zeine, the highest-ranking civilian appointed by the military leaders, said in an interview from Dakar that Bazoum’s safety is assured because Niger doesn’t have a history of violence.

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He also denied any intention of collaborating with Russia or the Kremlin-backed Wagner group, stating that the coup leaders have no such plans.

According to The New York Times, the coup leaders have reportedly disrupted water and electricity services to Bazoum’s residence, where he has been confined since the coup.

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They allegedly threatened to kill him if other African countries go ahead with a proposal to restore him to power through military intervention.

Earlier on Friday, President Bola Tinubu issued a warning about potential “grave consequences” if Niger’s military regime allows Bazoum’s health to deteriorate while under house arrest, as stated by a European Union official.

At the United Nations headquarters in New York, questions arose about Bazoum’s well-being and whether he was still alive. A spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres responded that they have no indication that he is not alive and that, as far as they know, Bazoum is indeed alive.

Regarding the presence of foreign troops in Niger, Zeine, who became the prime minister on August 7, was asked about the American and French soldiers engaged in anti-terrorism operations alongside the local army.

Zeine, an economist trained in France and former finance minister, suggested that a time might come to review such military partnerships. He also praised the White House’s diplomatic approach in attempting to resolve the crisis without resorting to force.