The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has scheduled yet another meeting on the Niger Crisis.
The regional organisation met in Abuja in August and gave the Niger junta seven days to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or face sanctions, including possibly military involvement.
Instead of reintroducing Bazoum, the junta severed connections with Nigeria and other countries sympathetic to Bazoum’s cause.
The military dictatorship, which named Commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani as the new head of state, has sworn not to yield to foreign pressure.
It also warned against foreign involvement and vowed to safeguard Niger’s territorial integrity.
On Friday, military chiefs from several West African countries announced a plan for possible military action if diplomatic efforts fail.
The summit in Abuja was attended by chiefs of defence from Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Cote D’ivoire, Cabo Verde, and the Republic of Benin.
ECOWAS sent a high-level delegation to mediate peace with the coupists last week, but their representatives met with the team led by former President General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
President Bola Tinubu, the chairman of ECOWAS, sent a notice of meeting scheduled for Thursday in Abuja on Monday.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, has convened another Extraordinary Summit of the Authority on the political situation in the Republic of Niger.” The Summit will take place on Thursday, August 10, 2023, in Abuja.”
“During the Summit, the ECOWAS Leaders will consider and discuss the political situation and recent developments in Niger,” the regional group said in a statement.
The coup leaders have yet to publish a statement regarding the deadline.
According to Daily Trust correspondents who are currently on the Nigerian border with Niger in Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, and Borno states, while there has been no fighting, millions of people are in dire straits due to fear of the unknown caused by the high cost or scarcity of basic necessities of life such as food and drugs.
Residents, both Nigerians and Nigeriens, said they despise violence and urged ECOWAS to reconsider, echoing a request from important groups and people.
The Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) is the latest to urge Tinubu’s regional grouping to exercise caution in its commerce.
Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), the group’s National Publicity Secretary, encouraged ECOWAS to evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of its actions on the people of Niger Republic and the larger West African sub-region.
In addition, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, through its Secretary General, Professor Khalid Aliyu, praised the Nigerian government’s actions thus far, particularly the launch of a dialogue process aimed at resolving the conflict in Niger Republic. According to Daily trust.
“While this attempt may not have yielded the desired results, it demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful resolutions.” The JNI also warned against taking military action against the Niger junta because of the obvious negative consequences for Nigeria.
Umaroo1 (
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