NIGER COUP: ECOWAS ORDERS COUP PLOTTERS TO RETURN DEMOCRACY AS GROUP, PUTSCHISTS CONDEMND FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
At
a meeting of the Authority
of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African
States, ECOWAS, held in Abuja the Nigerian capital on Sunday 30th July 2023, a
seven-day ultimatum was issued to the military in Niger Republic to restore
ousted President Muhammed Bazoum to office.
The extraordinary session of the
Authority was presided over by its Chairman, President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
The decision was taken after its deliberations on developments in Niger
Republic where President Mohamed Bazoum has been held by members of his
presidential guards for days and the Commander of the country’s Presidential
Guards, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, on Friday, declared himself the Head of
a Transitional Government.
The ECOWAS body affirmed its
recognition of Bazoum as the legitimate President of Niger Republic and
as well announced the imposition of land border closures and suspension of all
commercial flights between Niger Republic and ECOWAS member states.
The President of the ECOWAS
Commission, Omar Touray, announced the decision, saying that all Chiefs of
Defense Staff of the member states will proceed for an emergency meeting to
strategize on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to
restore Bazoum to office.
He added that the ECOWAS will “Take
all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of
Nigeria. Such measures may include the use of force.
“To this effect, the Chiefs of Defense
staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately.”
Other sanctions against Niger include;
- · Suspension of all commercial and
financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Asia. Freeze all
service transactions including energy transactions.
- · Freezing of 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.
Meanwhile, Investigation amongst the
people of Niger Republic indicates that they want closer ties with Mali and
Burkina Faso, all Francophone countries united in a mission to send foreign
military forces out of their countries. The fundamental issues and grievances
leading to the coup should also be addressed, not just in Niger Republic, but
also in Mali, Burkina Faso and others.
The Foundation for Peace Professionals also
known as PeacePro has condemned the latest coup in Niger Republic, arguing that
coup has never been a solution to insecurity in the continent, neither is it
capable of bringing economic prosperity.
PeacePro
also called on the leadership of African Union and ECOWAS to end the presence
of foreign military bases across the region.
PeacePro,
in a statement by the Executive Director, Mr Abdulrazaq Hamzat, said that
military coup in the subregion often enjoys initial public support because of
the presence of foreign military forces that is blamed for the sustained and
prolonged insecurity, especially in the Francophone region.
According
to Hamzat, the recent coup in Niger Republic and the initial public excitement
it generated in the country might be a temporary feeling, but it is also an
indication that the people of the country do not have sufficient evidence that
their democratically elected government is acting as an independent authority,
devoid of foreign pressure and influence.
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