Niger Coup: ECOWAS Defence Chiefs begin crucial meeting in Nigeria

By: Kingsley Omonobi – Abuja

Following the coup in Niger and the seven-day ultimatum given the leaders to release detained President Bazoum to power and quit, the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the West African sub-region have commenced a crucial meeting at the Defence headquarters with Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa chairing the meeting.

The ECOWAS regional bloc meeting is expected to last for two days.

Recall that on Sunday, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States imposed sanctions on Niger and issued a warning of the potential use of force on the junta after a one-week ultimatum to restore President Mohamed Bazoum.

Chiefs of Defence Staff of Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d Ivoire, Cape Verde, Senegal, Benin Republic, Guinea Bissau.

Representatives from Niger, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau were absent at the meeting

Also present is the Commissioner for Political Affairs of ECOWAS.

The military junta on their part had earlier expressed opposition to any aggression against Niger by regional or Western nations.

ECOWAS statement released after the regional leader’s summit had declared “zero tolerance” for coups adding that it would “take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order” if its demands were not met within a week.

This is the first time ECOWAS has threatened military action to reverse the coups that have taken place in the region in recent years.