Niger's ousted President tried to escape, says military junta

Niamey, Oct 20 Niger's military junta, which seized power following a coup in July, said that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum tried to escape from custody with his family, cooks and security, the media reported on Friday.

In an address on state TV, military spokesman Amadou Abdramane said the attempted escape took place at around 3 a.m. on Thursday, the BBC reported.

"The ousted president Mohamed Bazoum and his family, his two cooks and two security elements, tried to escape from his place of detention," he said, adding that the bid failed and "the main actors and some of the accomplices" were arrested.

According to Abdramane, Bazoum had planned to escape to a hideout on the outskirts of the capital Niamey and later fly out onboard helicopters "belonging to a foreign power" towards Nigeria.

He slammed Bazoum's attempt as "irresponsible attitude",reports the BBC.

The ousted President has been under house arrest since members of his presidential guard staged a coup on July 26.

It was not immediately clear where Bazoum currently is following his failed attempt.

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