Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara (May 9, 1949 – April 9, 1999) was a military officer in the West Africa
n country of Niger
who seized power in a January 1996 coup d'état
and ruled the country until his assassination during the military coup of April 1999
.
Maïnassara, a member of Niger's Hausa
ethnic majority, was born in Dogondutchi in 1949, and pursued a military career. Maïnassara was named Army Chief of Staff in March 1995, under a constitution which had moved Niger from military rule in 1991.
between President Mahamane Ousmane
and a parliament controlled by his opponents, led by Prime Minister Hama Amadou
.
Rivalry between Ousmane and Amadou effectively paralyzed the government, and Maïnassara seized power on January 27, 1996, pointing to the difficult political situation as justification.
The National Union of Independents for Democratic Renewal (UNIRD) was established in 1996 to support Maïnassara in that year's elections, but subsequently the Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a
was established as the ruling party. With the constitution barring presidents from leading parties, Hamid Algabid
became leader of the RDP-Jama'a in August 1997.
Local elections were held in February 1999, and in early April the Supreme Court released results which showed the opposition winning more seats than Maïnassara's supporters; the Court also cancelled the results in many areas and ordered elections there to be held again. The opposition called for protests against the cancellation of results on April 8.
as he was going to board a helicopter. The circumstances of the killing were not clear; rumors suggested that Maïnassara was attempting to flee the country. Initially his death was officially described as an "unfortunate accident", but this claim was widely considered implausible. Coup leader Daouda Malam Wanké
succeeded him as head of state and initiated a political transition that ended with elections late in the year.
The constitution adopted in a July 1999 referendum provides for an amnesty
for participants in both the 1996 and 1999 coups. An investigation into Maïnassara's death had begun in June 1999, but following the amnesty it was ended in September. The RDP-Jama'a has demanded an international inquiry into his death in the years since.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara (May 9, 1949 – April 9, 1999) was a military officer in the West Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n country of Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
who seized power in a January 1996 coup d'état
1996 Nigerien coup d'état
The 1996 Nigerien coup d'état was a military coup d'état which occurred on 27 January 1996 in Niamey, Niger. It ousted Niger's first democratically-elected President, Mahamane Ousmane after nearly three years in power and installed General Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara as head of state...
and ruled the country until his assassination during the military coup of April 1999
1999 Nigerien coup d'état
The 1999 Nigerien coup d'état occurred on 9 April 1999 and resulted in the death of President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara and the installation of Daouda Malam Wanké as President on 11 April. Maïnassara was killed at a military base, possibly by members of the Presidential Guard.-Background:Maïnassara,...
.
Maïnassara, a member of Niger's Hausa
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
ethnic majority, was born in Dogondutchi in 1949, and pursued a military career. Maïnassara was named Army Chief of Staff in March 1995, under a constitution which had moved Niger from military rule in 1991.
Political conflict
Parliamentary elections in January 1995 resulted in cohabitationCohabitation (government)
Cohabitation in government occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France's system, when the President is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament. It occurs because such a system forces the president to name a premier that will be acceptable to the...
between President Mahamane Ousmane
Mahamane Ousmane
Mahamane Ousmane is a Nigerien politician. He was the first democratically elected and fourth President of Niger, serving from 16 April 1993 until his ouster in a military coup d'état on 27 January 1996. He has continued to run for President in each election since his ouster, and he was President...
and a parliament controlled by his opponents, led by Prime Minister Hama Amadou
Hama Amadou
Hama Amadou is a Nigerien politician who was Prime Minister of Niger from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2007. He was also Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Development of Society from 1991 to 2001 and President of the MNSD-Nassara from 2001 to 2009...
.
Rivalry between Ousmane and Amadou effectively paralyzed the government, and Maïnassara seized power on January 27, 1996, pointing to the difficult political situation as justification.
Rule of Niger
Under Maïnassara's rule, a new constitution was approved by referendum in May 1996, and a presidential election was held on July 7–8, 1996. Maïnassara took about 52% of the vote, but the election was widely viewed as fraudulent. On the second day of polling he had the electoral commission dissolved and replaced it with another electoral commission; on the same day, he also had the four opposition candidates placed under house arrest, which lasted for two weeks. Maïnassara was sworn in on August 7.The National Union of Independents for Democratic Renewal (UNIRD) was established in 1996 to support Maïnassara in that year's elections, but subsequently the Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a
Rally for Democracy and Progress (Niger)
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Niger. It was established as the ruling party during the presidency of Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara.-Under second military regime and Fourth Republic:...
was established as the ruling party. With the constitution barring presidents from leading parties, Hamid Algabid
Hamid Algabid
Hamid Algabid is a Nigerien politician and the President of the Rally for Democracy and Progress party. A lawyer, banker, and technocrat, Algabid was an important figure in the regime of Seyni Kountché, serving as Prime Minister of Niger from 1983 to 1988...
became leader of the RDP-Jama'a in August 1997.
Local elections were held in February 1999, and in early April the Supreme Court released results which showed the opposition winning more seats than Maïnassara's supporters; the Court also cancelled the results in many areas and ordered elections there to be held again. The opposition called for protests against the cancellation of results on April 8.
Death
On April 9, 1999, Maïnassara was shot to death by soldiers at the airport in the capital city of NiameyNiamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
as he was going to board a helicopter. The circumstances of the killing were not clear; rumors suggested that Maïnassara was attempting to flee the country. Initially his death was officially described as an "unfortunate accident", but this claim was widely considered implausible. Coup leader Daouda Malam Wanké
Daouda Malam Wanké
Daouda Malam Wanké was a military and political leader in Niger. He was a member of Hausa ethnic group.Wanké's year of birth is disputed. Many sources claim it is 1954 while others 1946.-Biography:...
succeeded him as head of state and initiated a political transition that ended with elections late in the year.
The constitution adopted in a July 1999 referendum provides for an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
for participants in both the 1996 and 1999 coups. An investigation into Maïnassara's death had begun in June 1999, but following the amnesty it was ended in September. The RDP-Jama'a has demanded an international inquiry into his death in the years since.