Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara

General Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara (9 May 1949 – 9 April 1999) was a Nigerien military officer and diplomat who ruled Niger from 1996 until his assassination in 1999. He seized and lost power in military coups.

Baré Maïnassara, a Maouri, a subgroup of Niger's Hausa ethnic majority, was born in Dogondoutchi in 1949 and pursued a military career. Maïnassara was named Army Chief of Staff in March 1995, under a constitution that had moved Niger from prolonged military rule in 1991. He seized power on 27 January 1996, and ruled Niger until his assassination on 9 April 1999, during a second coup d'état.

== Seizure of power ==

Parliamentary elections in January 1995 resulted in cohabitation 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 27 January 1996, pointing to the difficult political situation as justification.

== Rule ==

Under Maïnassara's rule, a new constitution was approved by referendum in May 1996, and a presidential election was held on 7–8 July 1996. Maïnassara took about 52% of the vote, in an election widely...