NRC insists Mainassara's death was "accidental"

Meanwhile, the 'Voix du Sahel' radio station, the main source of official developments in Niger since the coup, on Tuesday quoted NRC spokesman Captain Djibril Hami Mahamidou, as insisting Mainassara's death was "accidental".

The broadcast, monitored by the BBC, quoted him as telling journalists there would be no investigation into the death of Mainassara who himself had overthrown the country's first democratically elected government in 1996.

"We cannot talk of any investigation because the death of General
Mainassara, as we said, was accidental," the spokesman said. "While awaiting the policy statement by the NRC chairman (Wanke), the NRC, through me, solemnly reaffirms its commitment to respect all international agreements and treaties signed by the Republic of Niger. We also reaffirm the withdrawal of the army from the political scene after the transition period."