On Monday, coup leaders in the Niger Republic arrested ministries and key members of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum’s party.
According to Reuters, junta forces apprehended the outgoing government’s mines minister, the leader of the ruling party, and oil minister Mahamane Mahamadou, who is also the son of former president Issoufou Mahamadou.
According to the party, the interior minister, transport minister, and a deputy have already been detained.
The party declared, while calling on citizens to rally together to safeguard democracy, that “the arrests confirm the repressive and dictatorial nature of the coup leaders.”
The arrests were announced a day after Chadian President Mahamat Deby arrived in the West African country to try to mediate between the coup leaders and the ousted government.
The arrests came a day after Chadian President Mahamat Deby traveled to Niger to mediate between the coup leaders and the deposed administration.
According to Reuters, the International Monetary Fund has not yet taken any action in response to the coup but is closely monitoring developments.
According to the report, the IMF has yet to deliver a $131.5 million loan to Niger that was approved on July 5.
However, sources told Reuters that the regional central bank had cancelled Niger’s planned 30 billion CFA ($51 million) bond offering in the West African regional debt market on Monday due to sanctions.
In addition, Aljazeera claimed on Monday that Germany had discontinued financial help and ceased cooperation with Niger as a result of the coup.
Presently, the EU and France have discontinued financial assistance, and the US has vowed to do the same.