Niger’s ruling junta announced on Tuesday that it has released around 50 individuals, including former government ministers, in line with recommendations from a national conference held in February.
The released individuals include ex-oil minister Mahamane Sani Issoufou—son of former president Mahamadou Issoufou—along with former defence minister Kalla Moutari, ex-finance minister Ahmed Djidoud, and former energy minister Ibrahim Yacoubou. Other notable figures freed include PNDS party president Foumakoye Gado, journalist Ousmane Toudou, and Alat Mogaskia, a former ambassador to Nigeria.
Despite these releases, reports say that ousted president Mohamed Bazoum remains in detention, despite repeated international demands for his release.
Many of those freed were detained following the July 2023 coup, which saw General Abdourahamane Tiani seize power after toppling Bazoum’s government. They were held on charges of “conspiracy to undermine the security and authority of the state.”
The junta also freed several soldiers convicted of past coup attempts, including General Salou Souleymane, a former chief of staff, and three officers sentenced in 2018 for an alleged plot to overthrow then-president Issoufou in 2015.
The decision to release the detainees follows the recommendations of February’s National Forum for Reconstruction, a gathering that reinforced the junta’s grip on power. During the conference, delegates approved an extension of General Tiani’s rule for up to five years, delaying any immediate return to civilian governance.
Despite ongoing international pressure, including sanctions from ECOWAS, the junta has shown little intention of reversing its course. With Bazoum still imprisoned and political opposition weakened, Niger’s military leadership remains firmly in control.
