After five days of detention spent in the premises of the External Security Services, the local director of the BCEAO in Niger, Laouali Abdou Rafa returned to his home. He was released on Saturday, November 4, at the end of the day. Laouali Abdou had already been arrested for the first time, on August 2, the day after the July 26 coup.
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Immediately after the announcement of his release, Laouali Abdou Rafa’s home, in the embassy district, was filled with people. Relatives, friends and work colleagues came to greet the local director of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).
To date, the reasons for his arrest have still not been officially communicated. Last Friday, the general management of the BCEAO, whose headquarters is in Dakar, was moved.
This new arrest comes at a time of great cash flow tensions in Niger. The country lacks liquidity and banks are no longer able to give cash to customers who nevertheless have money in their account.
In front of some banks, you can see long queues which sometimes extend for tens of meters. And for good reason, since August 1, the BCEAO has closed all its agencies, until further notice, a decision which follows the economic and financial sanctions adopted by ECOWAS and UEMOA.
For several observers and according to sources within the BCEAO, the junta, through this questioning of Abdou Rafa, seeks to put pressure on the sub-regional institution so that it loosens the grip on the country.
Read alsoNiger: the national director of the BCEAO arrested again in Niamey