ECOWAS set to rule on complaint over Niger's deposed president detention

ABUJA, Nigeria

The ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) is set to issue a decision on a complaint submitted by lawyers of former Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum over his ouster in a July coup. 

Since his toppling, Bazoum has been held at his residence in the heart of the presidential palace in the Niamey, Niger's capital.

The complaint with the ECOWAS Court of Justice by Bazoom's lawyers centers on what they called "sequestration and arbitrary detention". The court's decision is expected on Thursday November 30.

On November 1, the public prosecutor at the Niamey Court of Appeal confirmed that there had been an escape attempt by President Mohamed Bazoum on October 18. But gave no details.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice had on November 21 examined Niger's complaint against the regional organization, which imposed sanctions following the coup d'état.

“There is no sector of the Nigerien society that has not been affected by these sanctions according to Younkaila Yaye, one of the government’s lawyers

The government asked the court to relax the sanctions pending the final judgement. But ECOWAS protested against their request.

Mohamed Bazoum is the fifth Nigerien president to be overthrown by a putsch since the country gained independence from France in 1960.

The first president, Hamani Diori, overthrown in 1974, was imprisoned and then placed under house arrest for several years before being released in 1987.