Military junta in Niger wants to impeach president-elect

The military junta, which seized power in Niger on July 26, announced it wanted to put President-elect Mohammed Bazum on trial for “treason.”

In the statement read by the spokesman for the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland (CNSP), Amadou Abdourahmane, it was pointed out that Bazum was asked to stand trial on charges of “treason against the homeland” and “endangering the security from the country”.

The statement said: “The Niger government has gathered the necessary evidence for the ousted president and his domestic and foreign accomplices to stand trial before national and international bodies for the crimes of ‘treason’ and ‘endangering national and foreign security.’

Noting that lobbyists associated with some West African politicians spread fake news about the “transitional government”, it was emphasized that this situation was strongly condemned.

The statement noted discontent with the solidarity of some elements of the international community with “officials of the deposed government.”

THE MILITARY TAKES LEADERSHIP IN JULY

In Niger, President Mohammed Bazum was detained by members of the Presidential Guard Regiment on July 26, and that night the military announced that it had seized power.

General Abdurrahmane Tchiani, commander of the Presidential Guard Regiment, took over the leadership of the junta of the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland (CNSP) on July 28 and became head of the transitional government.

The CNSP appointed Lamine Zeine as prime minister on August 9 and announced the 21-member cabinet a day later, made up of soldiers and civilians. (AA)