The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called for the immediate release of Niger Republic’s ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since the July 2023 military coup in the country.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry on Friday, Idris made the call during his remarks at the ongoing 3rd Counter-Terrorism Coordination Conference organised by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in Málaga, Spain.
He said, “Nigeria is using this occasion to call for the immediate and unconditional release of President Mohamed Bazoum, his family and members of his government who are still in detention.”;
Idris reiterated that Nigeria remained committed to working with regional and international partners to ensure the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.
He stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, is at the forefront of the efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger, and we will continue to do everything possible to achieve this.”;
The minister also highlighted the impact of the coup on regional stability, warning that unconstitutional changes in government were threatening the collective security of West Africa.
“Nigeria believes that unconstitutional changes of government, especially through military coups, have no place in the modern world and will continue to oppose such actions in our region and across the world,”; he said.
The conference brought together ministers, heads of counter-terrorism agencies, and international experts from across the world to discuss collaborative efforts to combat terrorism and address its root causes.
