However, according to accounts close to the palace, before Bazoum sipped the last dose of a cup of green tea in front of him, one of his assistants, who entered the room, accompanied by 3 officers, leaned towards him to inform him that they had come to take him to another room.
The assistant said that something was going on on the ground floor of the palace, as those moments were the beginning of the coup, which was carried out by the leaders of the Presidential Guard.
On that day, Bazoum’s life changed, as the presidential palace, which was his master, turned into a prison that he could not leave.
Three weeks after the military coup, many are wondering how Bazoum will spend his new life as a prisoner in his palace.
Conflicting narratives
There were conflicting accounts about Bazoum’s new life. For example, press reports said that the new rulers of the palace impose strict restrictions on him, including even the type of food served to him, consisting of a rice dish only without any other additions.
Journalist Ali Khamis confirmed to “Sky News Arabia” that Bazoum lives a normal life inside the palace, moves freely, but in a ward where he is being held, and receives the usual periodic examination from the palace’s medical staff.
A fifth said, “Many of those close to Bazoum confirm that they are in contact with him, noting that he is in good health.”
He added that the deposed president and his wife live a normal life inside the palace, and are in constant contact with their three daughters residing outside the country.
fact
Despite the ambiguity surrounding the direction of the new coup in Niger and the sweeping international opposition to it, amid threats of possible international intervention, analysts believe that the coup has become a “fait accompli”, and that any intervention may focus only on Bazoum’s release and setting a timetable for a return to civilian rule.
In this context, Mohamed Thani, professor of history at Nigerian universities, told Sky News Arabia:
- Previous experiences have confirmed the difficulty of undoing any coup that takes place in any of the countries in the region, except in very rare cases.
- There is a possibility that an approach will be reached that guarantees a safe exit for Bazoum and his family.
- Bazoum’s presence inside the palace may constitute a pressure card for the putschists, but at the same time it may be a burden on them.
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