What detained Niger President Bazoum told us —Abdulsalami-led delegation

Retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Military Head of State of Nigeria, has disclosed that ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum shared the difficulties he has encountered since his detention by the military junta under General Abdourahamane Tchiani with a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

General Abdulsalami led a prominent ECOWAS delegation to the unrest-ridden West African country.

The delegation held discussions with Prime Minister Ali Zeine, who welcomed them at the airport and escorted them to the presidential palace. Subsequently, they engaged in a 90-minute meeting with General Tchiani and his team before meeting with President Mohamed Bazoum.

Following their meeting with Bazoum, General Abdulsalami conveyed to journalists that they had listened to his account of events and the challenges he has encountered during this time.

He stated, “He shared his perspective with us, informing us about the actions taken against him and the difficulties he’s currently facing. We will convey this information to the ECOWAS leaders. The dialogue channels are now open, aiming for a sustainable resolution.”

General Abdulsalami refrained from providing intricate details about the discussions with the deposed president.

Several weeks prior, CNN reported on Bazoum’s communication with a friend via text messages, in which he expressed being “deprived of all human contact.” He noted that he had not been provided with food or medication, and he was living without access to electricity, a situation affecting all Nigeriens after Nigeria severed the electric power supply in response to the coup.

Bazoum also communicated that the perishable food he had initially received had spoiled, leaving him with only dry pasta and rice for sustenance.