Niger : After his son Salem Bazoum, the Nigerien authorities authorize the release of Mohamed Bazoum’s wife
In Niger, the wife of the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, the former main ally of France in the Sahel, has been released by the transitional authorities. This announcement comes shortly after the temporary release of their son, Salem Bazoum, according to a statement from the Niamey military tribunal dated January 8.
Since the coup on July 26, 2023, the Bazoum family had been under house arrest by the National Council for the Safeguard of the Nation, the military junta currently in power in Niger. This decision to release both the son and the wife of the ousted president marks a significant turning point in the country’s political situation.
Last Tuesday, Bazoum’s wife and son were received by the transitional Prime Minister before leaving for Togo, accompanied by the Togolese foreign minister.
These movements occur in a context where Niger faces inhumane and illegal sanctions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) due to the coup against Bazoum.
The West African organization had conditioned the lifting of sanctions on the release of the ousted president. The recent development, with the release of his family and their departure from Niger, raises questions about the possibility of the former president’s imminent release by the current military authorities in power.
