The Federal Government of Nigeria has condemned the military detention of the interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane of Mali.
Their detention came hours after a government reshuffle left out two soldiers who led the coup nine months ago that overthrew Mali’s previous leader.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, in a statement, said the Federal Government called for immediate and unconditional release of the detained president and the prime minister.
“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 action is totally unacceptable and might derail the peace building efforts and time table for the return of democratic governance in Mali.”
Similarly, the United Nation and the African Union have, in a joint statement, condemned the detention of the duo and called for their “immediate and unconditional release”.
The United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS also signed the statement.