ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, claims overthrown Niger president Mohamed Bazoum and his son are being kept in deplorable conditions by the country’s coup leaders.
Musah made his statements on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, following claims of putschist threats to kill Bazoum in the event of a military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States.
“We are going there, if need be, to rescue President Bazoum who is living in very terrible conditions today. He is being denied medical attention, he’s being denied even access to his usual food,” he said.
“His son, who is also in detention, has lost so many kilos already. They are being held in these inhumane conditions and we cannot just sit back idle and depend on the goodwill of these people who are disrupting the democratic process in the country.”
Heads of state in the West African bloc came together on Thursday for an extraordinary summit held in Abuja to deliberate on approaches to deal with the putsch in Niger, opting to maintain the diplomatic route with military force still on the table.
“Yesterday’s communique also made it very clear that this junta will pay dearly if anything happens to the safety, security, or the physical integrity of Bazoum, his family, or members of his government. That was clearly done,” Musah said.
“We are not going to hold back because they are holding the president hostage. If they dare, if they should harm in any way, then they are going to pay very dearly for that. So, this is a tactic.”