NIGER’S ruling military leaders said late on Thursday that an overnight attempt by deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to escape detention with his family had been foiled.

The escape attempt came nearly three months after the ex-president was detained in the wake of a military coup.

In a communique, Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said that Mr Bazoum had  tried to reach a waiting vehicle at 3am that was to take him to the outskirts of the capital, Niamey, along with his family, two cooks and his security personnel.

From there, they were to be flown to Nigeria aboard “two helicopters belonging to a foreign power,” Mr Abdramane said.

He said: “This plan to destabilise our country was thwarted” and stated that the main perpetrators behind the attempted breakout had been arrested and an investigation has already been opened by the public prosecutor.

Mr Bazoum has been under house arrest with his wife and son since being ousted in July, and has refused to resign. 

The ousting of Mr Bazoum by the military came on the back of a wave of resentment towards France, the former colonial ruler, and the United States for plundering the rich natural resources in the region while the local communities remained largely impoverished.

Similar uprisings took place in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.