The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have scheduled a meeting for Thursday to discuss the crisis in Niger Republic following the expiration of the deadline given to the junta to relinquish power.
ECOWAS in a statement signed by spokesperson Emos Lungu made the announcement on Monday, a day after its seven-day deadline to the military junta in Niger Republic to reinstate the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Lungu said that the bloc would hold an extraordinary summit in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, where it has its headquarters.
“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 West African States (ECOWAS) has convened another Extraordinary Summit of the Authority on the political situation in the Republic of Niger,” Lungu said.
“The ECOWAS Leaders will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the Summit.”
The West African leaders had told the junta to stand down by Sunday, August 6 but the coup leaders instead closed Niger’s airspace and pledged to defend the country.
“Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” a junta representative said in a statement on national television.
ECOWAS which has sent military forces into troubled member states in the past have now decided to meet on Thursday, August 10 to discuss Niger.
Niger Republic’s junta last week cut off ties with Nigeria, its former colonial ruler France, Togo, and the United States.
Spokesperson for Niger’s coup leader Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said this in a national broadcast on Thursday, according to Radio France International.
Nigeria’s president Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Chairman of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday sent a delegation led by former military Head of State, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar to Niger Republic.
