Olivier Dubois: what we know about his release and what made it possible

French journalist Olivier Dubois arrives at the VIP lounge at Niamey airport, Niger, Monday, March 20, 2023. AP - Judith Besnard

Text by: David Baché

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In the aftermath of Olivier Dubois' release, there are still many questions about his progress and what made possible the end of the French journalist's captivity in Mali. RFI takes stock of what we know about this issue in which Niger has played an essential role.

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On the unfolding, the first thing is that after a long wait, the sequence of the release went very quickly. Olivier Dubois himself also confided to relatives, on March 20, 2023, to have been surprised by the speed with which everything accelerated at the last moment.

According to Nigerien security sources, Olivier Dubois and American hostage Jeffrey Woodke were handed over by the jihadists of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), intermediaries of the Nigerien state, in the early morning of Monday, near Assamaka, in northwestern Niger, near the borders with Mali and Algeria. This means that the jihadists made them travel, a priori by road, between their place of detention, somewhere in northern Mali and this Nigerien locality. From there, the two former hostages were transported by helicopter by Nigerien special forces, with the support of the US and French armies, to Arlit, at first, and then by plane to Niamey, where their release was finally announced by the Nigerien authorities in the early afternoon.

Officially, there was no ransom

Officially, there was no ransom, this is what the American authorities have declared and this is also assured by Nigerien security and political sources. They also deny any release of prisoners, a bargaining chip that is common in this type of negotiation.

► Read also Release of Olivier Dubois and Jeffery Woodke: what role did Niger play?

However, it is difficult to imagine that Olivier Dubois and Jeffrey Woodke were released without compensation. Some sources claim that ransom there has been, amounts are even circulating already, but at this stage nothing clearly cross-checked, so caution is required.

What we can say is that Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum has been personally involved, at the request of Paris, from last summer in particular. With which intermediaries? Names are circulating, personalities close to the Nigerien presidency, and who are usual resource persons for dialogue with jihadist groups.

Discreet intermediaries

Contacted by RFI, these personalities did not wish to specify their possible role. There is also talk of the involvement of Malian Tuareg personalities, members of armed groups in the north that signed the 2015 peace agreement. But again, the main stakeholders do not confirm. Some even categorically deny it.

It was in any case Niger that finally obtained this double release, it was Niger that had obtained, as part of the negotiations, the last two proofs of Olivier Dubois' life.

Videos transmitted last December and last week and which had, unlike the first two – those of May 2021 and March 2022 – been kept secret. Olivier Dubois' family had, however, been informed and reassured about his state of health and the existence of negotiations, without knowing the level of progress. The surprise yesterday morning was therefore all the greater.

► Read also Release of Olivier Dubois: relatives and supporters of the French journalist between joy and relief

What about the role of the Malian transitional authorities?

Finally, questions remain about the role of the Malian transitional authorities, who were initially involved in the file before, apparently, detaching themselves from it. Is this a consequence of the relations that have deteriorated between Bamako and Paris? Was it the France that wanted to short-circuit Mali? Was it Mali that no longer wanted to help the France? Is it a question of opportunity? On March 20, 2023, the two former hostages thanked Niger and France, but not Mali or the United States.

Finally, it should be noted that the Chief of Staff of the Nigerien army was visiting Bamako about ten days ago. One wonders, in hindsight, whether this issue was part of the discussions.

► Read also French journalist Olivier Dubois released after almost two years of captivity in Mali

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Read on on the same topics:

  • France
  • Niger
  • Mali
  • Journalism
  • Freedom of the press
  • AQIM