Niger’s ruling National Council for the Defense of the Fatherland announced that it had prevented an escape attempt by the country’s ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest since the end of July.
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Niger’s new authorities said Bazoum and his family, with the help of security accomplices, planned to drive to the outskirts of the capital Niamey and take a helicopter to neighboring Nigeria.
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“The decisive response of the defense and security forces has foiled this plan to destabilize our country,” a military spokesman said.
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In Niger, on July 26, a group of military members of the presidential guard mutinied and announced the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum. To govern the country, the National Council for the Defense of the Fatherland was formed, headed by the commander of the guard, Abdurahman Tchiani.
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Already on August 10, Tchiani signed a decree on the formation of a transitional government.
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The Republic of Niger, as a former French colony, remained one of the last allies of Western countries in the Sahel. In addition, the country has rich reserves of uranium, on which France depends. As noted by French media, this African country accounts for 15% to 17% of the uranium used to produce electricity in France. About 1,500 thousand French soldiers are stationed in Niger.
