The African Union on Monday held a meeting to deliberate on the ongoing political crisis in Niger Republic, which saw the country’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, overthrown by his military guards in a July 26 coup.
The union disclosed this in a statement via its X handle.
It tweeted, “AU’s Peace & Security Council meets to receive an update on the evolution of the situation in Niger and the efforts to address it.”
Participants of the meeting, held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, included AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat and representatives from both Niger and the Economic Community of West African States.
Mahamat had openly condemned and expressed deep concern about the poor conditions in which Bazoum is detained, stating that it was unacceptable.
The military regime currently in charge in the Niger Republic issued a stern declaration on their plans to prosecute Bazoum on charges of high treason. They also criticised ECOWAS for placing the country under economic sanctions.
On Sunday, Niger’s military regime vowed to prosecute the democratically elected Bazoum for “high treason” and slammed ECOWAS for imposing sanctions on the country.
Since the coup, the ousted president and his family have been held at the president’s official Niamey residence.
Islamic delegates from Nigeria returned to the country over the weekend with news that the coup leaders are now willing to discuss negotiations with ECOWAS, and advised that borders shut against Niger be opened, even before negotiations commence.
