FORMER PRIME MINISTER QUESTIONED AGAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NIAMEY 000091 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2018 TAGS: PGOV NG SUBJECT: FORMER PRIME MINISTER QUESTIONED AGAIN REF: (A) NIAMEY 1412 (B) 07 NIAMEY 783 Classified By: Donald W. Koran, DCM, reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (U) Former Prime Minister Hama Amadou was again questioned by police on January 18 regarding allegations that he incited violence (ref A). He has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson, but he has not been arrested. ¶2. (C) There are credible rumors circulating in Niamey that current Prime Minister Seini Oumarou has threatened to resign if his predecessor is arrested. He was reportedly urged to make the threat by pro-Amadou MNSD members. Oumarou is considered close to Amadou, and indeed National Assembly members who succeeded in removing Amadou last summer where disappointed that someone they saw as a Amadou protege replaced him (ref B). ¶3. (C) Comment: The former Prime Minister retains considerable support within the ruling MNSD party. Large numbers of young MNSD members have been hanging around his house, and a number were around the police station when he was being questioned. Any effort to arrest him could provoke a violent reaction on the part of his supporters. The resignation of Oumarou could prompt a political crisis. ALLEN