Threat to prosecute Bazoum may be bargaining chip, says Islamic cleric

Abdurrahman Ahmad, the national missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen society, says the threat to prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum by leaders of the coup in Niger Republic could just be a bargaining chip.

On Sunday, a junta spokesperson said they would prosecute Bazoum for treason. 

Ahmad was part of the Islamic delegation from Nigeria that met with the Niger junta leadership on Sunday.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme on Tuesday, Ahmad said the junta “cannot afford to renege on their promise and commitment”.

He added that Abdourahmane Tchiani, leader of the junta, had told the delegation that his government is ready for negotiations.

He said he believes the junta is only bargaining from a position of strength.

“This is a time when everyone will be putting bargaining chips on the table,” he said. 

“I think, as far as I’m concerned, they want to be negotiating from a position of relative strength, not absolute weakness.

“The way I see the people, the way we interacted with them, they cannot afford to renege on their promise and commitment.

“This is why the president also has graciously approved the continuing contact, diplomatic effort with them. 

“They were very receptive when we met with them. He said his government is ready for negotiations and there were no conditions, except that they don’t feel safe travelling outside of Niger.

“He assured that they were not here to stay and that they felt the most patriotic thing for them to do at that point in time was to seize power to save the people, their country and the sub-region.”