- Doctor brought food for Bazoum, his wife and son
- EU, AU have joined others in condemning the overthrow of Bazoum and subsequent detention by the country’s military
The ousted Niger President, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been illegally detained by the coup leaders led by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani since July was seen by his doctor on Saturday.
It was learnt that the physician also brought food for Bazoum, his wife and son who are being held with him.
A member of his entourage told AFP, the ousted president “had a visit by his doctor today.
“He’s fine, given the situation.”
Concerns had been raised over the health and detention conditions of Bazoum, his wife and 20-year-old son since the military seized power and took them captive on July 26.
The European Union and the African Union have joined others in condemning the overthrow of Bazoum and subsequent detention by the country’s military.
The UN rights chief Volker Turk said Bazoum’s reported detention conditions “could amount to inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of international human rights law”.
Top US diplomat Antony Blinken said he was “dismayed” by the military’s refusal to release Bazoum’s family as a “demonstration of goodwill”.
Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Parliament was on Saturday divided over taking military action as an option aimed at tackling the political situation in Niger Republic and restoring civil rule there.
Some members made called for actions that would nip in the bud military incursion into politics within the region, while others identified diplomacy and dialogue as the best approaches to tackling the crisis.
No fewer than 22 parliamentarians participated in the virtual extraordinary meeting to discuss the political crisis in Niger.
Some members who were against military intervention highlighted the economic woes that the people of Niger could experience if invaded.
Ali Djibo, from Niger Republic said already at least 9,000 schools had been closed down owing to the crisis.
“War will only compound the economic woes the peoples of the sub-region are already going through.
“As we speak, over a thousand trucks, loaded with goods, are stranded at the border.
“If a coup happened in Nigeria or Cote’d’Iviore tomorrow, where’s the ECOWAS going to mobilise troops to fight the Nigerian or Ivorian military? How many borders are we going to close?
“We must also bear in mind that if we’re applying the ECOWAS treaty, it should be applicable to all.”
Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante (Rivers), ECOWAS must pay keen attention and treat the root causes of coups in ECOWAS countries
Members of the ECOWAS Parliament making a case for military intervention in Niger said diplomacy had contributed in no small measure to the increase in the spate of military takeover of government in the West African sub-region.
Contributing, Adebayo Balogun, posited that ECOWAS leaders were proposing military action to remove the junta. not clamouring for a fully-fledged war.
He recalled that Niger was a signatory to ECOWAS’ revised protocol on non-military intervention.
Also, Bashir Dawodu expressed the belief that the body should open itself up to the possibility of a military option and apply pressure on the putschists while exploring dialogue.
Discussion about this post