Niger frees 15 accused of complicity in coup attempt

Date:

NIAMEY (Reuters) – A court in Niger has freed fifteen civilians accused of complicity in an attempted putsch against President Mahamadou Issoufou, their lawyer said on Saturday.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

In December 2015, the government said it had foiled a coup and arrested people who planned to use aerial firepower to seize control of the West African country, a major Uranium producer and Western ally in the fight against Islamists in the Sahara.

The fifteen were freed on Friday. Nine military officers including the alleged ringleader General Salou Souleymane, are still behind bars awaiting trial.

“From the start we were convinced our clients are innocent,” lawyer Ali Kadri said on private local TV station Bonferey. “There was no (evidence) … to suggest that they were implicated in this affair,” he said.

Issoufou was elected in 2011, one year after a coup. He was re-elected in February last year with 92.5 percent of the vote after the opposition coalition boycotted the polls.

(Reporting by Boureima Balima; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Mark Potter)

Naija247news
Naija247newshttps://www.naija247news.com/
Naija247news is an investigative news platform that tracks news on Nigerian Economy, Business, Politics, Financial and Africa and Global Economy.

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

IOM signs agreement with Japan to build 9 healthcare facilities in Adamawa

March 19, 2024. Azonuchechi Chukwu. The International Organization for Migration (IOM),...

FG raises N475.67 billion in March bond auction over rising rates rally

March 19, 2024. Azonuchechi Chukwu. The Federal Government has raised N475.67...

Naira closes at N1,597.24/$1 in the official market

March 19, 2024. Azonuchechi Chukwu. The official market observed a modest...

Nigerian Bourse declines, All Share Index drops by 0.40%

March 19, 2024. Azonuchechi Chukwu. It was a bearish session on...

Discover more from Naija247news

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading