ECOWAS Chairman calls for emergency meeting on Niger coup.
ECOWAS Chairman and President of Nigeria, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has called for an emergency meeting on Thursday, August 10, to take a final decision on the political situation in Niger.
A deadline by ECOWAS leaders for the military junta to hand over power to President Mohammed Bazoum ended on Sunday without a firm commitment from the military.
The heads of state are proposing a military intervention to restore constitutional rule.
ECOWAS Chairman Tinubu said that ECOWAS must take a firm decision on Niger on Thursday.
“We will not allow coup after coup in West African sub-region. We will take this up seriously, democracy is very tough to manage, but it’s the best form of government and, we all ascribe to it, and we must bite back it. We can’t sit like toothless bulldogs,” ECOWAS Chairman said.
Soldiers in the West African country of Niger announced a coup on national television on July 27.
They said they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions, and closed the nation’s borders.
Niger President Mohamed Bazoum was held by troops from the presidential guard.
He was promised Washington’s “unwavering support” in a call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The coup leaders, on August 7, closed the country’s airspace until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention from their neighbours.
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The West African group of countries, ECOWAS, had earlier warned that it could use force if President Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated by 23:00 GMT on Sunday.
A junta spokesman says Niger’s armed forces are ready to defend the country.
