Niger coup: ECOWAS fixes fresh meeting as deadline expires

Following the expiration of the directives of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to reinstate democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, ECOWAS scheduled yet another meeting to resolve the crisis

It could be recalled that the regional body had met in Abuja on August and issued a 7-day deadline for the Niger junta to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military intervention.

But rather than reinstate Bazoum, the junta severed ties with Nigeria and some other countries sympathetic to Bazoum’s cause, whereby the military regime, which declared their Commander General, Abdourahamane Tchiani the new head of state, vowed not to bow to outside pressure.

It also warned against foreign intervention, vowing to defend the territorial integrity of Niger.

However, the Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is chairman of ECOWAS was on Monday, sent a notice of meeting scheduled for Thursday in Abuja.

“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. The Summit will hold in Abuja, on Thursday, August 10, 2023.”

“The ECOWAS Leaders will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the Summit,” read a statement issued by the regional body.

The coup leaders have not issued any statement on the deadline yet.