* Son to the ousted Niger president was released by military tribunal and given asylum in Togo.
* Bazoum and his wife are still held in custody at the presidential palace in Niamey.
* The military junta under General Abdourahmane Tchiani took over power in a bloodless coup over 5 months ago.
Salem Bazoum, the son to the desposed Niger president was yesterday granted release by the military junta after spending more than 5 months in custody at thea presidential palace in Niamey alongside his parents. He was freed on the diplomatic efforts of the regional leaders however his parents remain in custody with the junta government refusing to bow to diplomatic pressure to release them. The younger Bazoum Jnr. had been charged by the state on counts on undermining the authority of the state when he and his parents allegedly tried to escape from where they were being held last October. The release of Mr. Bazoum came from arbitrate talks from many west African countries especially Togo and Sierra Leone with the Togo foreign minister Robert Dussey cited escorting Salem Bazoum out of the country without giving details of his whereabouts.
Mohammed Bazoum was ousted from power in July 2023 by the head of the presidential guard General Abdourahamane Tchiani in a coup that was strongly detested by ECOWAS and western countries especially former colonial master France. The military junta has since then faced opposition from ECOWAS with the regional block calling for the release and reinstatement of Mr. Bazoum to power which the military government has successfully ignored and clarified that there will only be transition back to civilian rule in 3 years time. ECOWAS further said it will maintain its sanctions on Niger on Niger till it saw a peaceful transition to civilian rule and this has consequently led to a rise of food stuffs and shortages of basic items. Niger remains one of the latest west African countries to fall under a coup with the former joining Mali under Colonel Assimi Goita and Burkina Faso under Captain Ibrahim Traore.
