Lawyers call for ousted Niger president’s release after the junta says it foiled an escape attempt

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Lawyers for Niger’s ousted president have called for his immediate release. The demand on Friday came a day after the ruling military junta said it had thwarted an overnight attempt by Mohamed Bazoum to escape house arrest with his family nearly three months after he was detained in the wake of a military coup. A group of international lawyers for Bazoum said he, his wife and son are being held without access to lawyers or the outside world. They denied the junta’s accusations that he tried to escape. The junta said late Thursday that Bazoum tried to reach a waiting vehicle that was to take him to the outskirts of the capital. From there they said that he and his family were to be flown to Nigeria.