When We Arrived In Niamey, We Were Welcomed By The New Leadership; I Can't Call Them Junta – Ahmad
According to Vanguard, Ansar-ud-Deen Society national missionary Abdurrahman Ahmad led a delegation of Nigerian Muslim scholars to meet with Nigeria’s junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, as part of efforts to peacefully restore ousted president Mohamed Bazoumi.
The Economic Organization of West African States (ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, has threatened to remove the junta by military force if diplomatic options fail. As part of diplomatic elections, Tinubu gathered a group of prominent Nigerians led by former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar to meet and negotiate with the leaders of the Niamey coup, but the coup leaders did not meet with them afterwards. They reached the country.
In an interview with a television station last week, Ahmad spoke about his team’s trip to Niger, the meeting with the head of the junta, and the results.
What were your observations? For some of us, this was not new at all, as we also participated in a similar shuttle to Ivory Coast, when two people—Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara—claimed the winner after their appeal was blocked. It was a very terrible situation. However, this was different because it was an interfaith delegation. We were with Christians, especially Christian bishops in Africa.
The only difference was that this delegation consisted only of Muslim scholars who would meet the soldiers. We also met soldiers in Ivory Coast, but they were friendly. I have to admit that we were not sure what kind of reception we would get because the previous delegation was not well received. It was a powerful delegation from a former head of state, and we were just ordinary people wearing turbans.
Regardless, we thought it was a worthwhile risk. The experience was otherwise electrifying. We were pleasantly surprised as we arrived in Niamey to a lively reception. A very great welcome from the new leadership (I can’t call them a junta) and people of Niger We unexpectedly arrived at the red-carpet reception. The new prime minister was at the airport to welcome us and some of the new ministers. We didn’t expect anything this close. Finally, all the Muslim religious leaders of Niger from all over the country were also there to greet us at the airport. On the way to the presidential villa, you could see that people were excited and happy to see us. That was the only time we felt relief.
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