Niger's Deposed Leader Suffers Weight Loss in Inhumane Captivity, Reveals Daughter

President's Family Held Under Dire Conditions, Cut off from Electricity, and Deprived of Basic Necessities

The ousted president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, and his family, are facing severe hardships in the custody of their military captors, according to an alarming revelation made by the president's daughter. The military captors have subjected them to inhumane conditions, including cutting off electricity to the presidential residence. Consequently, the family's health is deteriorating, as they are rapidly losing weight due to lack of proper nutrition. 

Zazia Bazoum, currently in France, shared the distressing details about her family's ordeal with The Guardian. Despite being in near daily phone contact, Zazia expressed her concern for her father, mother, and brother, who are enduring the dire circumstances. They are living without clean water and have been forced to rely on limited supplies of rice and pasta for sustenance. Adding to the crisis, their gas oven is running out of fuel, exacerbating their ability to prepare food.

"The situation of my family is very difficult currently," Zazia conveyed during a phone conversation from Paris. She highlighted the oppressive living conditions her family faces, describing how they are living in darkness without electricity, which compounds the sweltering climate of Niger. Zazia expressed her family's determination to persevere, but conveyed her own emotional distress as she and her siblings abroad witness their family's suffering.

Zazia, who holds expertise in banking law and works with her mother on the Noor foundation, focused on health and education in Niger, shared her concern about the deteriorating situation her family is enduring.

Efforts on the international front to secure the release of Mohamed Bazoum have so far failed to sway the junta responsible for his detention. The self-declared new leader of Niger, Gen Abdourahamane Tiani, and his supporters have demonstrated their intent to retain power by appointing ministers for a new government.

Recent developments indicate escalating pressure on the junta. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) activated its standby force, while the larger African Union called on the international community to intervene and save Bazoum's life. Concerns for his health have also been voiced by the US and the UN.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, Niger's military rulers have shown resistance, raising concerns of potential violent conflict in the strategically significant Sahel region. Neighboring Nigeria has even resorted to cutting electricity supply to Niger as a pressure tactic.

Zazia Bazoum revealed that the junta has denied access to her father's doctor and have withheld medical care. The captive family members have been subjected to psychological pressure and distressing conditions, which is causing them to rapidly lose weight. The lack of access to fresh food and clean water further compounds their predicament.

As international stakeholders intensify their calls for the release of Mohamed Bazoum, his daughter remains skeptical about the military's intentions. She fears that while they might consider releasing her mother and brother, her father might remain in captivity due to his potential influence and support among the people.

The unfolding situation in Niger holds both humanitarian and political implications, as the nation's democratically elected leader and his family navigate a perilous ordeal under the control of the military junta.