The Court of Niger has issued an order for the release of General Souleymane Salou, a former army top commander implicated in a coupe attempt in 2015, according to trusted sources. The convicted general, who had been dealing out his 15-year prison punishment since 2018, is expected to be freed imminently, as per remarks from the insiders.
The 70-year-old retired air force officer, General Salou, was previously a significant member of the military junta which toppled the administration of President Mamadou Tandja in 2010. Subsequently, he held the distinguished position of Chief of Staff until 2011’s elections, which were won by Mahamadou Issoufou.
An interesting development was reported on 17th December 2015, when then-President Issoufou was vying for an additional term in office. It was then that an alleged coup attempt was thwarted, culminating in the arrest of General Salou amongst a group of twelve soldiers, three customs officers, and approximately ten civilians.
Later, in January 2018, the military court of Niger adjudicated the case, sentencing General Salou, his son, and eight other soldiers to confinement ranging from five to 15 years. The court made the decision based on their roles in the coup attempt. Salou himself received a stiff 15-year sentence, which he has been serving out in a prison located in the country’s interior.
According to the court’s verdict, the convicts were found “guilty of fomenting between November and December 2015 a plot to undermine the authority or security of the State”. Around the time of the arrests, there was considerable doubt cast by the opposition about the actuality of the coup plot.
On another related front, Niger has found itself under military rule since a coup on 26th July saw the overthrow of civilian president Mohamed Bazoum. Following the successful coup, Bazoum has remained confined to his official residence.
Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the regime-appointed Prime Minister of Niger, earlier in September, provided reassurance that steps would be put in action to liberate “political prisoners” of the overthrown regime. This development follows the return of former prime minister Hama Amadou to Niamey during mid-September, after spending more than two years in France. Amadou, who is known as a staunch critic of deposed president Mohamed Bazoum, came back to a nation under an entirely new regime.
Though recent developments indicate a movement towards freeing political prisoners in Niger, it remains to be seen how this would affect the country’s political landscape. General Salou’s release, in particular, represents a significant shift, considering his contentious involvement in past coup attempt. As Niger continues under military rule, the hope is that these steps will contribute to a smooth transition towards democratic governance.
