The ousted President Bazoum of Niger finds himself in a precarious situation as he grapples with dwindling food supplies and worsening conditions, two weeks after being forcefully removed from power in a military coup and subsequently placed under house arrest. An insider, who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, shed light on the dire circumstances.
President Bazoum, the democratically elected leader of this West African nation, is presently confined within the presidential palace in Niamey, alongside his wife and son. The confinement began following a mutiny by soldiers on July 26.
The living conditions for the family have taken a sharp downturn. Stripped of electricity, their sustenance has been reduced to a meager ration of rice and canned goods, according to the unnamed source. Although Bazoum’s health remains stable for now, the advisor shared that he is steadfast in his decision to never step down. The source, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and therefore chose to remain anonymous, provided these insights into the sensitive situation.
A statement from Bazoum’s political party has corroborated the challenging living conditions faced by the former president’s family, adding that they are also devoid of running water.
This week marked efforts by Niger’s new military junta to solidify its grip on power with a categorical rejection of international mediation attempts. On Monday, the junta announced Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a civilian economist, as the new prime minister. Zeine, a former economy and finance minister, previously resigned from office during a coup in 2010 that ousted the government at the time. He subsequently served at the African Development Bank.
Declining mediation teams from the United Nations, the African Union, and the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, the junta cited security concerns amidst a menacing atmosphere. A letter seen by The Associated Press contained this explanation.
In response, ECOWAS issued an ultimatum, threatening military action if President Bazoum was not reinstated by Sunday. The junta disregarded this ultimatum, and the deadline lapsed without any action from ECOWAS. A meeting of the bloc to address the situation is scheduled for Thursday.
Precisely two weeks have transpired since the arrest of President Bazoum and the subsequent seizure of power by soldiers, who claimed the capability to better protect the nation against violence. This claim was met with skepticism by most analysts and diplomats, who suggested the coup stemmed from a power struggle between Bazoum and Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the head of his presidential guard, who now asserts control over the country.
The coup has reverberated negatively across Western nations, for whom Niger was a pivotal democratic ally in countering extremism in the region. Additionally, Niger holds significance as a major supplier of uranium. International partners have threatened to halt substantial military aid amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars unless Niger returns to constitutional governance.
As the crisis prolongs, the suffering is primarily borne by Niger’s 25 million inhabitants. As a nation already among the world’s poorest, many Nigeriens live day-to-day, their focus squarely on procuring sustenance for their families rather than the intensifying turmoil.
Economic and travel sanctions imposed by ECOWAS since the coup have led to a rise in food prices, with traders reporting increases of up to 5%.