Ousted Mali President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Finally Freed By Military Coup Leaders

The soldiers who staged a military coup in Mali leading to the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, has finally released him from detention.

According to Reuters, a spokesman for the junta Djibrilla Maiga (soldiers) disclosed this on Thursday, August 27, 2020.

“He was freed this morning, (and) he has returned to his home,” he said, without giving further details.

KanyiDaily recalls that some mutinous soldiers had earlier this month toppled the Malian government after detaining President Keita and other top government officials in a military formation near Bamako, the country’s capital.

The dramatic development comes after several months of regular demonstrations calling for President Keita to step down from power three years before his final term was due to end.

Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Bamako since June calling for Keita to resign over what they say are his failures to address worsening security and corruption.

On Tuesday morning, soldiers took over a huge army base outside the capital, Bamako. By afternoon, local news reported the soldiers had arrested the president, prime minister, top government officials and all senior soldiers.

Following the development, President Keita was forced at gun point to resign his position and dissolve his parliament on Wednesday morning.

The soldiers who staged the military coup appeared on television broadcast hours later to announce their plan of forming a civilian transitional government that will organise fresh elections in Mali.

However, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Mali from all its decision-making bodies due to the military forceful takeover of government in that country.