Who Is Behind President  Mohamed Bazoum  Escape Attempt? Nigeria or France?
Channel: Africa Reloaded
Date: 2023-10-22

On Thursday, October 19th, the Internet was buzzing with the news that Mohammed Bazoom attempted to escape the custody of the military government of Niger where he has been for the past three months but as you well know it was only an attempt, it did not succeed. But, the big question is who is behind the escape attempt? Who orchestrated the plan and why now? First, let's dive into the details of the escape plan.

Since he was overthrown on July 26th, 2023, the deposed President has been held under house arrest by the military junta at the Presidential Palace in Niamey with his wife Haziza and his son Salem. As you well know, unlike other deposed Presidents who resigned in other countries where coups have occurred, Mohammed Bazoom has since refused to resign and continues to hope that he would be reinstated. Recall that the regional bloc, ECOWAS, has threatened to go to war with Niger if they refused to reinstate Bazoom but that plan is no longer on the grounds as everybody seems to have accepted that the coup in Niger is here to stay. Bazoom who continues to hope for his reinstatement did not only refuse to resign but also went further to legal action in the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) instructing a Senegalese lawyer to sue the junta for kidnapping. The lawyer even went further to say that the case of the President would be taken to the UN Human Rights Council.