The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned last Wednesday’s military coup that deposed Niger Republic President Mohamed Bazoum.
The OIC Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, is following developments in Niger, an OIC member state, with great concern, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Taha condemned any attempt to seize power by force and demanded Bazoum’s immediate release as well as the restoration of the rule of law in Niger.
He also expressed his solidarity with the people of Niger and the OIC’s full support for regional efforts to restore peace, stability, and security to Niger and the entire Sahel region.
Soldiers in Niger overthrew Bazoum, the democratically elected president, according to a press release broadcast on national television last Wednesday, hours after the president was allegedly held hostage.
Nonetheless, despite a warning issued last Wednesday by the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Bola Tinubu, Nigerien soldiers deposed President Bazoum on Thursday morning.
Bazoum had been detained since the early hours of Wednesday, when the soldiers attempted the coup for the first time.
