Major General Godefroid Niyombare, along with three other senior Army and police officers, was arrested on Friday after the coup to overthrow Burundian..
Godefroid Niyombare, major general and former chief of Burundi's intelligence service; and Cyrille Ndayirukiye, former minister of defence.
Godefroid Niyombare
Burundian military officer
General Godefroid Niyombare | |
---|---|
In office February 2014 – December 2014 | |
Preceded by | Ezéchiel Nibigira |
Succeeded by | Béatrice Kankindi |
Born | (1969-10-18) 18 October 1969 (age 55)[1] |
Allegiance | Burundi |
Branch/service | Burundi Army |
Years of service | until 2015 |
Rank | Major general |
Godefroid Niyombare (born 1969) is a Burundian military officer who led a coup attempt against President Pierre Nkurunziza on 13 May 2015.
At the time of the coup attempt, Niyombare was a Major General. He previously served as military chief of staff and as Burundi's Ambassador to Kenya,[2][3] and was head of the National Intelligence Service (Service national de renseignement, SNR) from December 2014, when he replaced Adolphe Nshimirimana, until February 2015, when he was dismissed by Nkurunziza and replaced by Major-General Moïse Pasteur Bucumi.[4]&