Ousted Niger president, Bazoum tried to escape – Junta leader

Ousted Niger president, Bazoum tried to escape – Junta leader

A top prosecutor in Niger stated on Tuesday that president Mohamed Bazoum, who was deposed in a coup, had tried to avoid house arrest despite his lawyers’ denials.

Bazoum had been imprisoned inside his house in the heart of the presidential palace with his wife and son since he was deposed by the military on July 26.

According to a regime spokeswoman on state television, the alleged escape plot comprised traveling to a hideaway on the outskirts of the capital Niamey before flying helicopters “belonging to a foreign power” towards Nigeria.

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“These are real facts and not staged,” prosecutor general based at the court of appeal Salissou Chaibou said in a statement also broadcast on national television.

Chaibou also confirmed the alleged “exfiltration plan” detailed by the military regime.

“On the night of October 18” former president Bazoum, “his family, his security and his cooks, carrying various packages, were stopped” by “agents of the presidential guard, as they were heading towards the exit of the palace”, said Chaibou.

“A careful search of the parcels and a search of the former president’s residence led to the discovery of large sums of money in (local) and foreign currencies, as well as various precious goods,” he said.

Ousted Niger president, Bazoum tried to escape – Junta leader

(AFP)