Niger Republic: ECOWAS Gives Military Govt Seven Days To Reinstate Bazoum As President

Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have given the military in the Niger Republic one week to reinstate the democratically elected president, Muhammed Bazoum, and restore the constitutional order in the country.

The ultimatum comes after the ECOWAS leaders held a meeting at the State House in Abuja to deliberate in an extraordinary session regarding the situation in the country.

The meeting began at about 12:58 pm and was called by the ECOWAS Chairman, Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu.

The body imposed land and border closures, suspending all commercial flights between Niger and ECOWAS member states.

The decision was announced by the President of the ECOWAS Commission Omar Touray, after the meeting, who added that all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member states will proceed for an emergency meeting to strategise on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore Bazoum to office.

He said ECOWAS would take all necessary decisions to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger, including the use of force.

He announced some economic sanctions approved by ECOWAS against the country to include, “Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger. Freeze all service transactions including energy transactions.

“Freeze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank. Freeze of assets of the Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.

“Suspension of measure from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID.”

This comes four days after a military coup took place in Niger, ousting the democratically elected Nigerien president, Muhammed Bazoum. The soldiers, known as the Presidential Guard (PG) then detained the president, alleging leadership failure of the political class.

Following the coup, the PG named General Abdourahamane Tchiani as the country’s new leader.

THE WHISTLER reported that the ECOWAS Commission had condemned the coup in a statement on Wednesday, urging the coup plotters to free the President.

“ECOWAS condemns in the strongest terms the attempt to seize power by force and calls on the coup plotters to free the democratically- elected President of the Republic immediately and without any condition.

“ECOWAS and the international community will hold all those involved in the plot responsible for the security and safety of the President, his family, members of the government, and the general public,” the statement read in part.

After the coup, the European Union (EU) also withdrew its budgetary and security support to Niger indefinitely, stating that President Bazoum was democratically elected and therefore remains the rightful leader of the country.

The EU had earmarked $554 million to support the country’s yearly budget from 2021-2024.

EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell said, “President Bazoum was democratically elected; he is and therefore remains the only legitimate President of Niger.

“The European Union reiterates its very clear calls for the full and complete restoration, without delay, of constitutional order and fully associates itself with the declarations of ECOWAS and its African and international partners in this regard.

“And we stand ready to support future ECOWAS decisions, including the adoption of sanctions.”