President Bola Tinubu, who doubles as Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday met his Beninoise counterpart, Patrice Talon, over the attempted coup d’etat that occurred in Niger Republic.
Shortly after the meeting, Tinubu confirmed that he was dispatching Talon to Benin Republic with immediate effect.
Recall that Niger Republic President Mohamed Bazoum was held hostage by disgruntled members of the elite Presidential Guard, on Wednesday, who in turn were given an “ultimatum” by the army, to release the embattled Islamic leader.
The West African bloc, ECOWAS, condemned what it called an “attempted coup” and called on the “plotters” to release Bazoum immediately and without condition.
At the meeting with Benionise President, Talon, at the State House Abuja, President Tinubu told journalists that the meeting dealt with ways to resolve the problems that caused the coup attempt in Niger Republic.
He said the Benionise president was heading to Naimey to see things and report back to him as the chairman of the ECOWAS subregion.
A close ally of France, Bazoum was elected in 2021, taking the helm of affairs of the country mired in poverty and burdened by a history of chronic instability.
Members of the guard on Wednesday morning sealed off access to the president’s residence and offices, and after talks broke down, they refused to release the president.
The army has, however, given them an ultimatum to release the embattled president.
Tinubu had earlier talked tough, insisting that ECOWAS member states would not accept any form of instability.
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