Niger coup: Ousted president Bazoum seen for first time since detention, meets Chad's leader

Amid the ongoing coup inNiger, ousted president Mohamed Bazoum was seen for the first time on Monday (July 31) since the military detained him last week. Bazoum met Chad's leader, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, in Niger's capital, Niamey, according to a report by BBC. Itno, who also met the coup leaders, is spearheading mediation efforts after West African leaders gave Niger's military seven days to give up power.

The details of the meeting are not yet known, but Itno's office released a photo of him sitting next to Niger's ousted president. The military junta seized power in Niger last Wednesday (July 26), and on Friday, General Abdourahamane Tiani was made the new head of the state.

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General Tiani was the head of the presidential guard that shut Bazoum in his palace and then said it had ousted him because of bad governance and worsening security. A day back, leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held an emergency summit over the coup and gave Niger military leaders one week to reinstate Bazoum or face sanctions and other harsh measures.

Junta arresting ministers: Bazoum's party

On Monday, ousted president Bazoum's party - the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) - said that the junta was arresting ministers in his cabinet. "After the president was detained last week, the putschists went on the attack again and carried out more arrests," the PNDS told the news agency AFP.

The party said that on Monday morning, Niger's Oil Minister Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, and Mining Minister Ousseini Hadizatou were arrested. The head of PNDS's national executive committee, Fourmakoye Gado, was also arrested, it added.

Earlier, the junta arrested Interior Minister Hama Amadou Souley, Transport Minister Oumarou Malam Alma, and Kalla Moutari, an MP and former defence minister.

Calling for the immediate release of the politicians, the PNDS said that Niger risked becoming a "dictatorial and totalitarian regime."

Sanctions disastrous for country: Niger PM

Reacting to the threat of sanctions from West African leaders, Niger's Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou said on Monday that the sanctions would be "disastrous" as the country "relies heavily on its partnership with the International Community".

"Turning one's back on this aid is suicide," Prime Minister Mahamadou told France24.

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