The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will reconvene on Thursday to discuss the crisis in Niger Republic.
A day after giving the Niger military junta till Monday to restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, ECOWAS made the statement.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and chairman of the authority of Heads of state and Government of the Economic Community of the ECOWAS leaders, will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the summit,” the group said in a statement on Monday.
The ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja will host the conference.
Concerns about a potential military military action by the bloc to restore democracy in Niger are present at the summit.
The ECOWAS chairperson, Tinubu, had committed to take all necessary steps to get Bazoum back.
The regional body’s decision to deploy force, even as a last resort, has drawn sharp criticism from other foreign nations, international organisations, and concerned citizens.
According to analysts, any military invasion of Niger by ECOWAS would escalate into a full-fledged conflict, especially because Burkina Faso and Mali had supported the coup.
Mali and Burkina Faso have threatened to use force in self-defense if there are any outside incursions into the landlocked nation in West Africa.
Thousands of supporters of the military junta in Niger gathered at a stadium on Sunday as the deadline drew near to declare their support for the government.
According to the cable news, the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) had urged Tinubu to use all available diplomatic channels to settle the Niger situation.
The forum issued a warning that sending Nigerian troops to the Niger Republic would be detrimental to the seven northern states that share borders with it: Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno.
As part of broader consultations on the political unrest in Niger, TheCable reported that the president met with the governors of five of the states that border Niger.
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