Niger’s Ministers of Petroleum, Mines and Transport, as well as the leader of the deposed president’s party, Mohamed Bazoum, were arrested between Sunday (30) and this Monday (31), police sources told EFE.
Sani Issoufou Mahamadou, Minister of Petroleum and son of former President Mahamadou Issoufou; Ousseini Hadizatou Yacoub, Minister of Mines; Alma Oumaru, Minister of Transport; and Foumakoye Gado, president of the Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNSD).
According to the sources, other people from Bazoum’s party were also arrested for having published messages on social media calling for political resistance.
Niger’s coup-acting junta has asked citizens in recent hours not to use social media to “transmit information and political messages likely to disturb public order”, under threat of arrest.
In a statement, the board, organized into the self-styled National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) and headed by General Abdourahamane Tiani, indicates that anyone who opposes the measure “will be detained by the security forces and placed at the disposal of Justice”.
In several messages published on Sunday on social networks, former president Issoufou said that he is negotiating the release of President Bazoum, detained in the Presidential Palace, in Niamey, “to restore him to his functions”.
“Since the 26th of July [dia do golpe]our country has entered a difficult phase in its history,” said Issoufou, Bazoum’s predecessor and a member of the same party.
The coup-acting junta in power announced the removal of the president, the suspension of the Constitution and the dissolution of the bodies derived from it, the closing of borders and a night curfew until further notice.
Likewise, it assumed the power to exercise “all legislative and executive powers” pending “the return to normal constitutional order”.
Accusation against France
Those responsible for the military uprising accused France of looking for “ways and means to intervene militarily” in the African country to free deposed president Mohamed Bazoum.
In a statement read by Colonel Amadou Abdramane on public television, the military claimed that the European country is preparing an action “with the complicity” of some Nigeriens after a meeting at the General Staff of the National Guard.
According to Abdaramane, the meeting took place in the presence of the deposed chancellor, Hassoumi Massaoudou – who proclaimed himself interim prime minister -, and the commander of the National Guard, Issa Guire.
“In its line of conduct of looking for ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France, with the complicity of some Nigerians, held a meeting at the General Staff of the National Guard of Niger to obtain the necessary political-military authorizations,” he said. Abdramane in statement number 14.
The military spokesman read some separate documents which he said were signed by Massaoudou and Colonel Major Guire.
“I, the undersigned Hassoumi Massaoudou, authorize the French partner to carry out coups in the Presidential Palace to free the kidnapped President of the Republic, Mohamed Bazoum”, reads the alleged letter, whose content is identical to the document signed by Guire.
The French government warned on Sunday that if there were attacks against French citizens, soldiers, diplomats or companies in Niger, there would be an “immediate and decisive” response.
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