Nigerien military leaders said Thursday that its forces had thwarted an escape attempt by ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest since late July.
"The strong reaction of the defense and security forces made it possible to foil this plan to destabilize our country," Reuters quoted a Nigerien military spokesman as saying.
Bazoum and his family, with the help of accomplices in the security forces, had planned to drive a vehicle to the outskirts of the capital city of Niamey and then take a helicopter to neighboring Nigeria, the Nigerien military authorities said.
On July 26, a coup took place in Niger. Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown and detained by his own guard, led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani. Following the takeover, ECOWAS suspended all cooperation with Niger and threatened military intervention if the rebels did not reinstate Bazoum.
On September 20, the ousted leader reportedly hired a Senegalese lawyer to file a lawsuit against his "unlawful detention." In early October, the lawsuit was taken to the Niamey court.