UN secretary general urges release of Nigerien president Bazoum

UN Secretary General António Guterres has called for the release of Niger's democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted by a military coup last week.

"The Secretary General is very concerned over the deplorable living conditions that President Bazoum and his family are reported to be living under as they continue to be arbitrarily detained by members of the Presidential Guard in Niger," a spokesman said in New York late on Wednesday night.

Earlier, there had been reports that Bazoum and his family were being detained at his residence without electricity, water, food or medicine. Guterres also called for the immediate and unconditional release of other detained members of the government.

On July 26, officers of the presidential guard in Niger ousted president Bazoum. The commander of the elite unit, Abdourahamane Tchiani, subsequently appointed himself the new ruler.