West African leaders will hold an emergency meeting in Abuja on Sunday under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States.
Sunday’s meeting is at the behest of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
It holds four days after a military coup in the Republic of Niger upended the constitutional political leadership of Mohammed Bazoum.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Friday titled ‘President Tinubu hosts ECOWAS special meeting on Niger.’
At Sunday’s meeting, ECOWAS leaders will, among other things, discuss possible sanctions.
Tinubu had on Wednesday condemned the current political situation in the neighbouring country, promising that ECOWAS and the international community would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the sub-region.
He affirmed that the regional bloc would deploy “all means necessary” to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
On the same day, the ECOWAS Chair dispatched a strong delegation led by the President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic to talk with all the parties to restore order.
US Vice President Kamala Harris and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate telephone calls Thursday evening with President Tinubu, affirmed the support of the US and UN for the position taken by ECOWAS and the Nigerian leader to restore constitutional order in Niger.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has also expressed shock at the coup in Niger, raising concerns over Bazoum’s fate.
In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, he said, “As to be expected, I, just like millions of other Nigerians, am shocked by the latest turn of events in Niger Republic, our neighbour to the North.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Guards who staged the coup have garnered the army’s support.
Armed forces chief, General Abdou Sidikou Issa, voiced support for the guards, saying it was doing so to “avoid a deadly confrontation.”
On the streets of Niamey, however, it’s been chaos as youths vandalised Bazoum’s PNDS party headquarters and set fire to vehicles.
Nonetheless, the military has called on “the population to remain calm.”
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