On Thursday, October 19th, the Internet was buzzing with the news that Mohammed Bazoom attempted to escape the custody of the military government of Niger where he has been for the past three months but as you well know it was only an attempt, it did not succeed. But, the big question is who is behind the escape attempt? Who orchestrated the plan and why now? First, let’s dive into the details of the escape plan.

Since he was overthrown on July 26th, 2023, the deposed President has been held under house arrest by the military junta at the Presidential Palace in Niamey with his wife Haziza and his son Salem. As you well know, unlike other deposed Presidents who resigned in other countries where coups have occurred, Mohammed Bazoom has since refused to resign and continues to hope that he would be reinstated. Recall that the regional bloc, ECOWAS, has threatened to go to war with Niger if they refused to reinstate Bazoom but that plan is no longer on the grounds as everybody seems to have accepted that the coup in Niger is here to stay. Bazoom who continues to hope for his reinstatement did not only refuse to resign but also went further to legal action in the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) instructing a Senegalese lawyer to sue the junta for kidnapping. The lawyer even went further to say that the case of the President would be taken to the UN Human Rights Council.

So, Mohammed Bazoom who is still very much hungry for his freedom and reinstatement decided to escape, and on Thursday the escape plan was set in motion. According to the spokesman of the military government, Amadou Abdramane, the escape attempt began at 3 on Thursday morning when Bazoom together with his wife, son, two cooks, and security guards who were still faithful to him managed to escape from the place where he was being held. According to the plan, after escaping from where he was being held inside the palace, the group would be transported to a collection point near the presidential palace, where a car was waiting for them. Getting into the car, the car would take them to a secret hideout in the Tchangarey neighborhood on the outskirts of Niamey where they would enter into a helicopter. The helicopter would then take them to Birnin Kebbi, in north-west Nigeria. Sounds like an Hollywood escape plot right? If only they succeeded but the plan did not go as smoothly as planned.

The spokesman, Amadou confirmed that the plan was foiled, “the actors and main accomplices” were arrested, and that the situation was back “under control” On behalf of General Tchiani, the military junta of Niger, Amadou blasted Bazoum’s “irresponsible attitude” towards escaping prolonged detention, with a plan that would have involved “foreign powers”. He then praised the professionalism and “cold blood” of the Defense and Security Forces who remained faithful to General Omar Tchiani, adding that the prosecutor opened an investigation into the incident.

Currently, no one knows where the former president and the rest of the group are being held. According to the Nigerian press, Bazoom is probably being held in a security cell, perhaps inside the presidential palace itself, separated from his family and other participants in the escape. Also adding to the mystery of where Bazoom is currently being held, it was reported that before the announcement made by the military government about the failed escape

attempt, a vigorous operation was conducted by the Presidential Guard in the Tchangarey district. At the end of the operation, two people were arrested, one of whom was wounded by bullets. of a firearm. According to witness reports from the LSI Africa” ​​website, a large number of security forces and armored vehicles were deployed around a house in the neighborhood, and exchanges of fire were heard in the surrounding area. So, it’s possible that this operation conducted by the Presidential Guard was the thwarting of the escape plan.

Now, the big question: who is behind the escape attempt?

Mohammed Bazoom couldn’t possibly orchestrate the escape plan all by himself because according to reports, he has not had outside contacts for some time so he certainly got help from someone outside. But Who? There are some speculations. First, could it be Nigeria? Recall that according to the escape plan, his final destination was somewhere in Birnin Kebbi, North-Western Nigeria so it may be possible that he got help from the Nigerian government. However, at the moment, the government of Nigeria implicated as the final destination of the attempted escape – has not commented on the junta’s statements. But you should also recall that President Bola Tinubu, who is the current head of ECOWAS, has been a staunch supporter of military intervention in Niger to secure Bazoum’s release and restoration to power. This hypothesis of a commando that acted under Nigerian leadership, and the support of the United States, remains one of the possibilities of the failed release operation.

Another possibility for the failed coup attempt could be France. At the same time the escape plan was taking place, French forces who had been expelled from the country by the military government of Niger were leaving the country to Chad. That surely cannot be a mere coincidence right? Recall that before the coup, Bazoom was a solid ally of France, and after the coup, France has staunchly supported Bazoom. France supported the regional bloc when they threatened to use force to reinstate Bazoom and the Niger military even accused France of trying to intervene militarily to thwart the coup. It is certainly possible that the French government may have provided logistical support to an extradition operation for the deposed president.

Again who is behind the escape attempt? Is it Nigeria, France, or a collaboration by both? Well, we can’t exactly tell so it’s all speculation but one thing is clear: the deposed president, Bazoom, was certainly not working alone.

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