By Daniel Edu
In response to the ongoing crisis in the Niger Republic, the African Union (AU) has convened an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the situation arising from the ousting and detainment of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
It is recalled that on July 26, 2023, the military in Niger orchestrated a coup that led to the removal of Bazoum from his presidential position.
Since then, the military regime has detained Bazoum and subsequently issued a death threat against him.
The AU made an announcement on its Twitter page on Monday morning, indicating that the Peace and Security Council are in session to address the developments in Niger.
“The AU’s Peace & Security Council convenes to receive an update on the situation in Niger and the efforts being undertaken to address it,” the pan-African organization shared on its microblogging platform.
The meeting is being conducted at the AU headquarters situated in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Among the participants are AU Commission Chief Moussa Faki Mahamat, along with representatives from Niger and the West African regional bloc ECOWAS.
It is worth noting that in the preceding week, Faki expressed “deep concern” regarding the reported subpar conditions of Bazoum’s detention, deeming the treatment by the coup leaders as “unacceptable.”
On Sunday, the military-led government in Niger declared its intention to prosecute the democratically elected Bazoum for “high treason” and criticized ECOWAS for imposing sanctions on the nation.
Bazoum, aged 63, and his family have been confined to the official Niamey residence of the president since the occurrence of the coup.
