By John Ikani
Former Interim President of Mali, Bah Ndaw and as well as former Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane have been released from military detention following former President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention.
This was made known in a statement issued by Jonathan’s aide Ikechukwu Eze on Thursday.
According to the statement, Jonathan, who is the mediator of the Economic Community of West African States in Mali, had travelled to Bamako on Tuesday to meet with the military leaders and other stakeholders.
Jonathan was accompanied on the mission by Ghana’s foreign minister and chair of ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, and President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.
Others were ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Francis Benhazin, United Nations Special Representative in Mali, El Ghassim Wane, and Head of African Union Mission for Mali and the Sahel, Fulgence Zeneth.
“The mediator and his team had on Wednesday obtained the commitment of the military leaders under the control of Col. Assimi Goita to release Ndaw and Ouane.”
The statement noted that the commitment came after Jonathan visited Mali military leaders at Kati Barracks, near Bamako, where Ndaw and Ouane were being held, to ascertain their health condition.
“Before visiting the President and Prime Minister in detention, Jonathan had met with Colonel Goita where he demanded their unconditional release.
“He urged the authorities to maintain peace and stability which, according to him, are key to the conduct of the transitional process.
“The release of Ndaw and Ouane early Thursday morning came three days after they were detained and stripped of their powers, nine months after they were appointed to lead the transition government.”
Ndaw and Ouane had been heading the interim government under the transition charter with the aim of restoring full civilian rule within 18 months.
Meanwhile, Jonathan who left Mali on Thursday is billed to present a report to the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for further decisions to be taken on the new situation in Mali.
