It seems that each new day brings one interesting news concerning the Niger coup. First, it was ECOWAS threatening war against Niger unless they reinstate President Bazoom. Next, it was Niger protesters storming the French embassy demanding the withdrawal of French troops as anti-french sentiments spread throughout the country. Then came the stand off between Niger and France as France refused to leave the county. However, in all this one thing everybody had accepted was that the coup was successful and it was unlikely that President Bazoom would be reinstated but it seems that Bazoom has refused to accept this reality and is still fighting to claim back his position.
On September 18th, 2023, Bazoom, who is still detained by the coup plotters, decided to take his case to the West African justice system through his lawyer in the West African regional bloc of ECOWAS court in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja to obtain his release and the so-called restoration of constitutional order in the country. In the application, an order was requested stating that his detention by Niger’s junta infringes on his fundamental rights and that he should be reinstated as the country’s democratically elected president. Joined as defendants in the application are Bazoum’s wife and son, both of whom are also detained by the soldiers.
Maître Diagne, Bazoom’s lawyer, claims that his “clients are victims of serious and intolerable human rights violations and that they have the right to bring their case to the appropriate courts. “What we want is for the State of Niger to be condemned by a court decision.” “Mr. Bazoum’s fight is a legal fight,” he emphasized.
The court appeal portrayed Bazoum as a “victim” of the coup and requested the ECOWAS court to make a judgment “restoring constitutional order” in Niger and reinstalling him as president “until the legal end (of) the democratic mandate that the people of Niger has sovereignly entrusted” him with. Bazoum’s request to the court comes as military authorities continue to consolidate authority. They have selected various government officials, including a prime minister, and have begun a transitional period that they have stated will last three years, much to the chagrin of regional leaders.
The court has yet to give its verdict concerning the order. Would the court give a judgment that favors President Bazoom and would the military government heed the judgment of the court? We can only speculate but what is clear is that President Bazoom probably expected that the sanctions and threat of war imposed by the regional bloc and the international community would force the military to hand over power back to him. But, they didn’t and here we are today. Only time will tell how all this would play out.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the court’s decision would affect the military’s position in Niger? Let us know in the comment down below. Don’t forget to subscribe, hit that like button and share this video.