NIGER: AU Issues Fresh Warning To Coup Leaders After Junta Appointed Soldiers Governors

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, has cautioned the military junta in Niger Republic against escalating relations with the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).

The position was stated in a communique on Friday which backed the decisions recently adopted by the ECOWAS regarding stiffer economic sanctions on Niger and a directive putting the regional blocs’ soldiers on standby.

But the junta remains defiant and has formed a new government while designating military generals as state governors.

Brigadier General Iro Oumarou arrived Niger’s region of Dosso on Thursday to take over from his civilian predecessor, amid cheers from supporters.

But the AU Chairperson expressed his deep concern at the development as well as the reported poor conditions of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum who remains in detention.

His words, “Indeed, concordant sources attest to a worrying deterioration of such conditions.

“The Chairperson calls on the military authorities to urgently halt the
escalation of relations with the regional organization ECOWAS, in-
cluding the cessation of the continued sequestration of President
Bazoum in worryingly poor conditions.

“Such treatment of a democratically elected president through a re-
gular electoral process is unacceptable,” he stated.

The Chairperson further called for the immediate release of President Bazoum and all members of his family and government who are still being detained.

“Their detention flies in the face of Nigerien law and the founding principles of the AU and ECOWAS.

“The Chairperson calls on the entire international community to unite efforts to save the moral and physical integrity of President Mohamed Bazoum,” the statement partly reads.