Mauritania: Student Scandal Rocks Presidential Palace · Global Voices
أحمد جدو

On May 3 a group of Mauritanian students made a surprise revelation [ar] at a press conference they organized that was covered by Mauritanian state television. They announced that the president's chief of staff Isselkou Ould Izidbih [former president of the University of Nouakchott] had attempted to bribe them to give up their struggle for students’ rights as well as to stop sit-ins and protests.
The group's spokesperson said that the president's chief of staff had asked them to split from the National Union of Mauritanian Students in return for a position paying 500 000 ouguiya [approx. $1700] as well as financial support for a number of students and a scholarship in a country of their choice.
The group said that after a number of meetings with Izidbih in the Presidential Palace they had made him believe they would split off, and would announce it in a press conference. They prepared everything, such as arranging media coverage and booking a hall in the luxury Al Khaima Hotel.
But they gave him a slap in the face when they revealed his plot to the media and exposed him to the public, giving evidence of his direct interference in the university and attempt to incite unrest within it. The students also accused the president's chief of staff of being behind racist incidents at the university by hiring and inciting some students.
The following video [ar] shows part of the press conference:
After the announcement Mauritanian state television withdrew from the press conference; it is worth mentioning that this was the first time it had been present at an event of this kind.
Blogger Dada Ould Sheikh Ibrahim wrote about the case:
The Victims Against Corruption group made a statement about the case:
The activist known as Mahmoum bi Mauritania tweeted:
Nasser Al Hashemi also tweeted about the case: