I now eat dry rice, ousted Niger President laments hardship

Ousted President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum, says he is being kept isolated and forced to eat dry rice. Recall that on July 26, 2023, the military ousted Bazoum and suspended the constitution. President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), had scheduled a meeting for Thursday after […]

Ousted President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum, says he is being kept isolated and forced to eat dry rice.

Recall that on July 26, 2023, the military ousted Bazoum and suspended the constitution.

President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), had scheduled a meeting for Thursday after the 7-day ultimatum that the regional bloc issued for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum elapsed.

CNN quoted Bazoum in a series of text messages to a friend as saying he had been “deprived of all human contact” since Friday, with no one supplying him food or medicine.

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According to the overthrown president, he had been living without electricity for a week, a normal occurrence for all Nigeriens after Nigeria cut off electric power in response to the coup.

Bazoum said all of the perishable food he was supplied with has since gone bad, and he is now eating dry pasta and rice.

Despite his isolation, Bazoum has been in contact with the outside world.

Though denied the chance to speak with acting US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland during her visit to Niamey, the Nigerien capital, on Monday, Bazoum spoke with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on phone.

Daily Trust had reported how Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi, 14th Emir of Kano, met the coup leaders to open a window for negotiation.

Sources told this newspaper that Sanusi went in personal capacity but briefed President Bola Tinubu ahead of the trip.

ECOWAS will hold another meeting in Abuja on Thursday over the coup.