ECOWAS Rejects Overthrow Of Nigerien President, Demands His …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it rejects the overthrow of Nigerien president, calling instead for his reinstatement.

The sub-regional body spoke today, through a communique issued at the end of its Extraordinary Summit on Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger read by the President, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray.

Calling for the immediate release and reinstatement of Mohamed Bazoum as the legitimate Head of State and Government of the country, rejecting in any form of purported resignation by Bazoum.

‘‘In this regard, only official acts of President Bazoum or his duly-mandated officials will be recognised by ECOWAS,’’ it said, condemning in strong terms, of the attempted overthrow of constitutional order in Niger, and the illegal detention of President Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.

ECOWAS equally demanded full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger adding that it was holding the coupists responsible for any act of breach of the peace.

In the event that its demands on overthrow of Nigerien president, are not met within one week, ECOWAS added it “would take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

 “Such measures may include the use of force for this effect, the Chiefs of Defence staff of ECOWAS is to meet immediately,’’ the leaders said.

Further, it announced immediate sanctions on Niger including the closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger, establishing a no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger, and suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger.

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Other harsh measures agreed on by the subregional body, to get the coupists rescind their action include threat to freeze assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Bank, Niger state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks, as well as the suspension of the country from all financial assistance and transactions with financial institutions within ECOWAS.

Military officials involved in the putsch, ECOWAS further said, had been slammed travel bans, their assets and those of their family members frozen

The Eagle reports that ECOWAS reaction is coming amidst warnings from Niger’s military leaders against any armed intervention from other countries.  

General Abdourahmane Tchiani – also known as Omar Tchiani, had seized power last week, immediately ordering the arrest and detention of the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum,.

Tchiani, the ring leader behind the overthrow of Nigerien president, is also the chief of Niger’s presidential guard.

“The objective of the [ECOWAS] meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are non-members of ECOWAS, and certain Western countries,” military spokesperson Colonel Amadou Abdramane said, warning the body to steer clear of military intervention.

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“We want to once more remind ECOWAS or any other adventurer of our firm determination to defend our homeland,”

“There is so much talk here [at the summit] of sending a military force to intervene there [in Niger] that has got the military leaders in Niger worried at the moment”, they added.