Niger Republic Coup: ECOWAS Orders Immediate Standby Force

Amidst calls for restraint, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has ordered an immediate standby force to restore constitutional order in NIger Republic.

The order of a standby force is a fallout of an extraordinary meeting of the body which held in Abuja today.

It was a major item of the meeting’s resolution which was read by the President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, who also called on the African Union, as well as its partner countries to support the ECOWAS’ stance on Niger.

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“Direct the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS stand-by force with all its elements immediately.

“Order the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

“Underscore its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means”, the ECOWAS orders said

According to the union, calls for a standby force had become inevitable given that the coup leaders in Niger had thwarted all efforts made to dialogue with them.

It also condemned continued detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.

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Meanwhile the Pan Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, has called on the West African union , to adopt the option of diplomacy rather than war in handling the issue with Niger Republic.

Afenifere gave its stance via a communiqué issued and signed by  its national leader and Secretary, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Olusola Ebiseni.

It follows its meeting, held at lsanya Ogbo, in Ogun state, today where it reiterated its commitment to democracy principles in bringing about change in rulership.

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“We hold it as evidently true that military coup and any form of subversion of the constitution and the electoral process as a means of access to power are equal and mutually antithetical to democracy.

“Afenifere condemned unreservedly, the currently military takeover of the Government of the Republic of Niger and declared that there is no justifiable reason for such an undemocratic act”, Afenifere stated in the communique.