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Published 25 February 2021
Two people in Niger have died in post-election violence and hundreds have been arrested, the government said Thursday, accusing a prominent opposition figure of stoking the unrest.
“The toll is two dead,” Interior Minister Alkache Alhada said, reporting on violence that began on Tuesday after the results of a presidential runoff were announced.
Alhada told the press that 468 arrests had been made, “including certain politicians” whom he did not identify.
He accused a well-known opposition figure, Hama Amadou, of being “the main person responsible” for the unrest.
“(He) is being sought and as usual he is on the run, but we will find him,” Alhada said.
Niger: 2 killed in protests against election results | News | DW dw.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dw.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Reuters Staff
3 Min Read
NIAMEY (Reuters) - Supporters of the losing presidential candidate in Niger set several buildings on fire, burnt tyres and threw rocks at the police on Thursday, as the authorities announced that two people had been killed in post-election protests this week.
The national electoral commission on Tuesday declared ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum the winner of Sunday’s runoff election with 55.75% of the vote, but his rival, Mahamane Ousmane, a former president, has alleged fraud and claimed he won with 50.3%.
Since then, two people have been killed and 468 detained during protests by Ousmane’s supporters in the capital Niamey, Interior Minister Alkache Alhada said.
Violent protests rock Niger over contested election result today.ng - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from today.ng Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Unideal Electoral Aftermath
Niger s Interior Minister, Alkache Alhada, told reporters on Thursday that lives were lost and hundreds arrested in the unrest that arose in the country.
The violence came about after the announcement of the presidential election results even alleging that Hama Amadou was responsible for the electoral chaos.
Alhada told the press: Of the demonstrations that were held, obviously there was a toll. Unfortunately, there were two deaths. There was also damage and destruction of public and private infrastructure. One of your own, the journalist Moussa Kaka, his house was burnt. A number of them have been arrested. We are at 468 arrests, including certain politicians. And the main person responsible (opposition figure Hama Amadou), is being sought, but as is typical, he is on the run.