The former president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, has been held captive for nine months in an isolated wing of his house by his former security guards. He is unable to talk to his lawyers, has no access to a phone, and is not allowed visitors except for a doctor who brings him food once a week. The military junta that deposed him is seeking to remove his presidential immunity in order to prosecute him on charges such as treason, for which he could face life imprisonment. Mr. Bazoum’s closest allies have been jailed or forced to flee, and international partners are backing away, with the United States and France withdrawing troops in response to demands from the governing junta.
Mr. Bazoum’s situation is part of a larger trend in West and Central Africa, where military coups have resulted in curtailed freedoms, delayed transitions to civilian rule, and persecution of opponents. Despite being removed from power, Mr. Bazoum remains at the center of the political power struggle in Niger, as he is detained only a few hundred feet away from the military leader who toppled him. General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the senior military official who now governs Niger, relies on Mr. Bazoum’s detention as a source of power.
The former president, who has refused to resign, is scheduled for a hearing on May 10 that could strip his presidential immunity and lead to his prosecution on charges such as treason, supporting terrorism, and plotting against the state. Mr. Bazoum’s lawyers accuse the junta of attempting to make an illegal detention appear legitimate. Despite calls from international partners for his release, Mr. Bazoum’s future remains uncertain as he faces potential prosecution and imprisonment.
Mr. Bazoum and his family were initially held in the presidential residence without electricity but were able to move around the house freely. However, after being accused of attempting to escape, their movements were further restricted, and soldiers now guard the residence and have confiscated all telephones. Mr. Bazoum spends his days exercising and reading while his family and advisers hope for his release, but fear that his next move may be to jail.
Mr. Bazoum was elected president of Niger in 2021 and made the country a favored recipient of foreign assistance in West Africa. He worked on anti-corruption efforts, improving girls’ education, and building infrastructure projects such as an oil pipeline with China. Despite his popularity with Western leaders and efforts to combat extremist groups, his detention and the shifting geopolitical landscape in Niger have left him isolated and forgotten. With divisions among international partners on how to secure his release, Mr. Bazoum’s future remains uncertain as he remains trapped in captivity awaiting a hearing that could determine his fate.
