Nigeria Condemns Detention of Malian President, PM, Calls for their Immediate Release

By Michael Olugbode

Nigerian government has asked from the immediate release of Malian Interim President, Bah Ndaw, and and Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane, detained by soldiers.

A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, read: “The Federal Government of Nigeria condemns in strong terms the detention of the duo of interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane of Mali.”

The two key officials in the transitional government of Mali were reportedly taken by Soldiers to the Kati Military Camp near the Capital, Bamako on Monday 24, May 2021.

The statement said: “The action is totally unacceptable and might derail the peace building efforts and time table for the return of democratic governance in Mali.”

“The Federal Government of Nigeria therefore calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained President and Prime Minister. The key actors and perpetrators of the condemnable act should be aware of the fact that stakeholders in the region and friends of Mali rejects any act of coercion of the detained officials, including forced resignations,” the statement further said.