Gambiaj.com – (Niamey, Niger) – In a significant escalation of measures against former officials of the civilian government ousted in July 2023, Niger’s military government announced Thursday that it has “provisionally stripped” nine former officials of their Nigerien nationality. The military regime, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, accuses the group of “intelligence with a foreign power” and “conspiracy against the authority of the State.”

The government’s statement, released Thursday, detailed the accusations, citing offenses “provided for and punishable by law.” Among those targeted by this provisional nationality revocation are prominent figures such as General Mahamadou Abou Tarka, who formerly headed the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace, and General Karingama Wali Ibrahim, once chief of the presidential guard. Others include Daouda Djibo Takoubakoye, former deputy chief of staff to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, as well as Rhissa Ag Boula, a presidential security adviser.

The government alleges these former officials engaged in activities that threatened national security, including “intelligence with a foreign power with a view to inciting hostilities against the State” and aiding in “the penetration of foreign forces into Nigerien territory.” They are also accused of “demoralizing the army” and “disseminating information likely to disturb public order.”

Thursday’s announcement follows an order issued in August, allowing the regime to compile records of individuals or organizations “involved in acts of terrorism or other offenses threatening the nation’s strategic interests.” This legislation, however, has faced criticism from international rights organizations, with Human Rights Watch (HRW) describing it as a threat to fundamental freedoms.

In September, the junta issued warrants for approximately twenty figures from the former regime, including Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou, many of whom are now suspected to be abroad. These figures, the regime claims, are implicated in a “case of treason and conspiracy” following the July 26 coup.

Since the coup, former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife Hadiza have remained under house arrest in their presidential residence in Niamey. The junta’s moves, including the latest action against Bazoum’s allies, suggest a tightening of control and a hardening stance against any perceived internal dissent or external interference.