Niger: Opposition Presidential Candidate Arrested

Hama Amadou, the former parliament speaker and opposition presidential candidate, was arrested on Saturday on returning to the capital Niamey. Amadou had left Niger in August 2014 after being investigated for child trafficking.

He was arrested directly at the Niamey airport and taken by twenty some policemen to the city central prison.

According to the media, the police were forced to use tear gas to disperse the politician’s supporters who were demonstrating along the road.

Earlier today also another of the accused in the child trafficking ring, former Agricultural Minister Abdou Labo, announced his candidature for the presidency. Now four candidates are officially running for office on February 21. Aside from Amadou Labo, also Planning Mminister Amadou Boubacar Cissé and exiting President Mahamadou Issoufou are running.