ECOWAS Court Orders Immediate Release of Niger Deposed President Bazoum 

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of Niger’s deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since a coup on July 26. 

The court’s decision, announced in Abuja, Nigeria, calls for Bazoum’s reinstatement and the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.

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This ruling has significant implications for Niger’s political landscape and its relationship with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Bazoum and his family have been under house arrest since the coup, and he appealed to the ECOWAS Court of Justice in mid-September to obtain his release and restore constitutional order in Niger.  The military government of Niger, which assumed power following the coup, had also filed a suit before the court in November seeking the lifting of sanctions imposed by ECOWAS. However, this request was denied.

The situation in Niger is part of a broader context of political instability in the West African region. Since 2020, coups have placed military juntas in power in several ECOWAS member states including Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger. In Sierra Leone, another ECOWAS member, a failed coup attempt resulted in 21 deaths. Moreover, Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo recently described violence involving members of his country’s National Guard as an “attempted coup.”

Nigeria, the current chair of ECOWAS, has been vocal in calling for Bazoum’s release. Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is asking Niger’s military governors to release President Bazoum and allow him to leave Niger. Tuggar emphasized that ECOWAS remains open to dialogue with Niger’s junta.

The imposition of sanctions by ECOWAS following the July coup in Niger and the subsequent calls for a return to democratic rule reflect the regional bloc’s commitment to maintaining stability and democratic governance in West Africa. The court’s ruling ordering Bazoum’s reinstatement is a significant development in this context, as it challenges the junta’s control and underscores the importance of adhering to democratic principles and constitutional order.

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