The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will reconvene on Thursday to address the crisis in Niger Republic.
The announcement was made by ECOWAS on Monday, just a day after its deadline to the military junta in Niger, urging them to reinstate the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and chairman of the authority of Heads of state and Government of the Economic Community of the ECOWAS leaders will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the summit,” the organisation said in a statement on Monday.
The summit will take place in Abuja, which serves as the ECOWAS headquarters.
This meeting occurs amidst uncertainty surrounding the bloc’s potential military intervention to restore democracy in Niger.
Tinubu pledges
As the ECOWAS chairperson, Tinubu has pledged to do everything possible to reinstate the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
However, the bloc’s consideration of using force, even as a last resort, has faced significant opposition from foreign countries, global organizations, and concerned individuals.
Experts warn that any military invasion by ECOWAS into Niger could escalate into a full-scale war, especially as Burkina Faso and Mali have expressed support for the coup.
Burkina Faso and Mali have stated their readiness to defend themselves with arms against foreign interventions in the landlocked West African country.
As the deadline approached on Sunday, thousands of supporters of the military junta in Niger gathered at a stadium to show their backing for the regime.
The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) urged Tinubu to pursue all diplomatic avenues in resolving the crisis in Niger, cautioning that deploying Nigerian troops to the Niger Republic could adversely affect seven northern states—Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno— that share borders with Niger.
As part of wider consultations on the political instability in Niger, the president met with governors of five states that share boundaries with Niger, according to TheCable‘s report.