Niger jails lawyer over Facebook army split claim

Niger jailed lawyer Abourahamane Lirwana on Tuesday, September 22, after he said on Facebook that the army had split into two factions, a close associate said.

Trade unionist Mahamadou Gamatie wrote on Facebook that Lirwana was placed in custody at Niamey Civil Prison for "disseminating information likely to disturb public order".

On September 12, Lirwana wrote that one army faction supported former president Mahamadou Issoufou and another supported ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.

The case comes about a month after Niger's military authorities quashed an army mutiny. Niger has been ruled by General Abdourahamane Tiani since a July 2023 coup overthrew Bazoum, who has been in prison since then. Issoufou, Niger's president from 2011 to 2021, and Bazoum were once allies before becoming rivals.