A video has been circulating on Facebook and YouTube claiming that the Nigerien Finance Minister was crying over money laundering allegation.

He was said to have been arrested by the military in the country and threatened with execution if he failed to give an account of state finances.

The video surfaced amid the coup plot against President Mohammed Bazoum-led government in Niger Republic.

The video has been shared multiple times on Facebook with the caption “Niger Republic’s alleged finance minister, Ahmat Jiroud after being told by the military government to account for the country’s stolen funds or face execution in 48 hours.”

Bazoum has been held in his palace since week by Niger’s Presidential Guard.

On Friday, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Head of the presidential guard, was announced as the country’s new leader.

Tchiani, who has headed the Presidential Guard since 2011, said the coup was the military’s response to “the degradation of the security situation” linked to jihadist bloodshed.

But the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had on Sunday given Niger coupists one-week ultimatum to restore democratic order in the country or risk military action.

In response to ECOWAS’ threat to use force upon the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum, the Niger military issued a warning about “the consequences that will flow from any foreign military intervention,” saying, “Certain dignitaries…are in thinking of confrontation,” which “will end in nothing but the massacre of the Nigerien population and chaos.”

The current Minister of Finance in Niger is Ahmat Jidoud who is light-skinned as against the dark-complexioned individual in the video.

An analysis of the video using the Google Image reverse search revealed that the clip was first posted in December 2021, mostly on Facebook.

A user posted in Hausa and it translated to “Former Minister of Justice Marou Amadou is crying for joy after being appointed as Niger ambassador in Ethiopia.”

Others posted in French and it translated to them calling him “a hypocrite.”

In a bid to find a longer clip with a better explanation, a search via InVid revealed a video of the former minister wearing the same outfit and being interviewed.

Using the translate option, he was seen complaining about the crisis in the country and the slow response from the government.

In the comment section, some called him out for not speaking up for years, others said he is only speaking now because he was no longer a part of the government.

Conclusion;

Based on available data, we can confirm that the claim that the Nigerien Minister of Finance, Ahmat Jidoud has been arrested is misleading.

The video in circulation is that of the former Minister of Justice, Marou Amadou.

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, met with the leaders of the Organised Labour Unions, comprising the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress at the State House in Abuja.

This comes just hours after organised labour embarked on protests across states in the country over the fuel subsidy removal.

The Organised Labour comprising Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart in Kano has called on the Federal Government to as matter of respect fulfil the agreement and promises earlier reached with regards to palliatives and other resolutions for Nigerians.

Chairman of the NLC Kano chapter, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, made the call when he led a peaceful protestagainst fuel price hike and other policies of the federal government on Wednesday.

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No fewer than 20 Unions converged on the Murtala Muhammad Library Complex and marched through Ahmadu Bello way to the State Government House.

They were received by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Shehu Wada Sagagi, who represented the Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

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However, the duo tried effortlessly to stop the peaceful protest halfway.

Speaking, the NLC chairman, Kabiru Inuwa said, “The central point of this protest is to at least request the government to fulfil the promises it made during the first sitting they had with labour and resolve to put committees and commence work immediately.

“Up till now, nothing is done and they are not ready to do it. Let them come out and start implementing what they agreed to themselves, what they forwarded to the labour themselves. Let the masses breath, this is what we want, no more no less.

“When you talk about palliative, has it commenced? It’s part of the resolutions reached. None of the seven agreed resolutions has commenced. As of now, we are buying fertilizer at N27,000 per bag because dollar is increasing day by day which is not good for our economy. We want them to commence implementing the agreed resolutions met during the meetings.”

Responding, Bichi assured the aggrieved citizens that the government is strategizing to bring out effective model and plans to begin distribution of the palliatives.

He also promised to transmit the message to the Federal Government for onward consideration.

“The Governor had wished to be out here in person but you all know that today is Wednesday when the State executive council sits to take major decisions including that in respect of what the Kano government is going to do to support its people with palliatives.”

Protesters on Wednesday morning pulled down the first gate of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja and forced their way into the premises.

Earlier, the protesters led by the leaders of the organised labour, Joe Ajaero of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress asked security operatives stationed at the legislative building to open the gate to allow the angry workers to express their displeasure.

Following the failure of the security officials to adhere, angry protesters pulled down the gate and subsequently moved to the second gate of the Assembly Complex.

The Organised Labour including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions, today, kicked off a protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and other states of the Federation including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.

In their hundreds, the protesters convened at the Unity Fountain from where they marched to the NASS Complex.