US President, Joe Biden Calls For Immediate Release Of Niger’s Ousted Bazoum

US President, Joe Biden has called for the immediate release of detained Niger’s President, Mohamed Bazoum.

Biden also called for the preservation of the country’s democracy.

“I call for President Bazoum and his family to be immediately released, and for the preservation of Niger’s hard-earned democracy,” Biden said in a statement on Thursday, the 63rd anniversary of Niger’s independence.

“In this critical moment, the United States stands with the people of Niger to honor our decades-long partnership rooted in shared democratic values and support for civilian-led governance,” he said.

Recall that Bazoum, 63, was kicked out of power on July 26th by his own elite presidential guard in a coup widely condemned by the United States, European nations, the United Nations and West African regional bloc ECOWAS.

“The Nigerien people have the right to choose their leaders,” Biden said. “They have expressed their will through free and fair elections — and that must be respected.”

Bazoum was feted in 2021 after winning elections that ushered in Niger’s first peaceful transition of power.

He took the helm of a country burdened by four previous coups since independence from France in 1960.

Last Sunday, ECOWAS leaders asked the coup leaders to restore Bazoum to power within a week or face the possible “last resort” of military intervention.

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily reported that the Defence Headquarters has said the military is yet to get directives to commence operations in Niger Republic.

The clarification was in reaction to news reports yesterday that the military had begun assembling troops for the military action in Niger.