Breaking: ECOWAS meeting in Abuja resumes discussion of Niger crisis

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria is currently in charge of an extraordinary summit of the regional body on the political situation in the Niger Republic. He serves as the chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States.

The summit is deliberating recent events in the Niger Republic and choosing what to do next after the junta ousted President Mohamed Bazoum at the State House Conference Center in Abuja.

Sanctions were put in place against Niger, specifically the coupists, after the most recent ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit on July 30 in Abuja. There was a call for the military’s current detainees, including President Bazoum, his family, and government officials, to be released right away.

At the conclusion of that summit, Omar Touray, the president of the ECOWAS Commission, read out the sanctions, saying, “The following measures are to be applied with immediate effect. First, the ECOWAS nations’ land and air borders with Niger must be closed. The second is the establishment of an ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commuting air routes to and from Niger.

The suspension of all business and financial dealings between ECOWAS members and Niger. Put a stop to all service transactions, including those involving energy. Freeze the Republic of Niger’s assets in ECOWAS central banks. Assets belonging to the Niger state, as well as state-run businesses and parastatals, have been frozen in commercial banks.

“Suspension of action from all financial assistance and dealings with all financial institutions, especially EBID. Call on all other regional organizations, including WAMU (the West African Monetary Union), to carry out this decision.

Put the military officials involved in the coup attempt on a travel ban and freeze their assets. The same is true for their family members as well as for any civilians who agree to take part in any institutions or governments that these military officials establish, according to the Authority.

Diverse Nigerian and Niger stakeholders have been cooperating to push for a diplomatic approach and ongoing talks with the ECOWAS and the military junta in Niger in an effort to defuse the situation and prevent any potential armed intervention.

One of the parties involved, former Emir Sanusi, said he went on the peace mission voluntarily because he understood his leadership responsibilities in a statement to State House Correspondents on Wednesday following his meeting with President Tinubu.

Sanusi emphasized that more than just government action is needed to end the crisis.

“I came to give him a summary of my conversations with the leaders of Niger. We’ll keep trying our best to communicate better between the two parties. This is the time for public diplomacy; we cannot leave it up to governments; all Nigerians and Nigeriens must be involved in order to find a solution that is good for Africa, good for Niger, good for Nigeria, and good for humanity, he said.

He replied, “No, I wasn’t sent by the government,” when asked if he was a representative of the government on the mission. Government officials were informed that I was going, but I took the initiative to travel there on my own and with the help of my personal contacts. I will keep trying my best. That is something I have to do as a leader.

But earlier today, the military-appointed prime minister Ali Mahaman Liman Zeine and the Abdourahamane Tchiani-led junta announced a 21-member cabinet.

Presidents of the following countries and their heads of state are present at the meeting: Presidents Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea-Bissau, Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, and Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire.

Presidents of Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Patrice Talon of the Benin Republic, and President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania are the others.

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo and President Adama Barrow of The Gambia are among those who have not yet arrived.