By Ayo Yusuf
Armed Forces from nations that make up the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, may go to war with the military junta in Niger Republic following its rejection of the one week ultimatum given by the regional body to return president Mohamed Bazoum to power.
It would be recalled that the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on Sunday, in Abuja, after its extraordinary meeting announced strident sanctions against Niger and the coup plotters and threatened to use force to eject the Coupists if need be.
However, in a swift response, the Niger putschists rejected the call and warned ECOWAS against military intervention, saying, “We want to once more remind ECOWAS or any other adventurer of our firm determination to defend our homeland.”
In a statement read on Niger national television, the soldiers claimed, “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,” said the military spokesperson, Col. Amadou Abdramane, to have said.
Accordingly, the military regime issued a warning about “the consequences that will flow from any foreign military intervention,” saying, “Certain dignitaries…are in thinking of confrontation,” which “will end in nothing but the massacre of the Nigerien population and chaos.”
On Sunday, the regional body had directed all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member-states to proceed for an emergency meeting to strategize on effective ways to implement a likely military operation to restore constitutional order in Niger.
ECOWAS, which threatened to impose land border closures and no-fly zone conditions on Niger Republic should the masterminds of the coup fail to heed its ultimatum, “call for the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum as President and Head of State of the Republic of Niger and for the full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”
Anticipating every possibility, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, who read the communique of the Extraordinary Session, said the body
“Reject any form of resignation that may purportedly come from His Excellency, President Mohamed Bazoum; considered the illegal detention of President Bazoum as a hostage situation and hold the authors of the attempted coup that are solely and fully responsible for the safety and security of His Excellency President Mohammed Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.
“In the event the Authority’s demands are not met within one week, take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
“Such measures may include the use of force. To this effect, the Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately,” said Mr. Touray.
They also imposed a no-fly zone on the Niger Republic and suspended all commercial flights to and from Niger while suspending financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger.
Furthermore, assets of the Republic of Niger in the ECOWAS Central Bank, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks will be frozen.
Niger will also be suspended from all financial assistance and transactions with financial institutions within the ECOWAS.
Therefore, ECOWAS called on the West African Monetary Union and other similar regional bodies to implement these resolutions.
Additionally, the bloc imposed immediate travel bans and froze the assets of the military officials involved in the coup attempt, their family members, and civilians who agreed to participate in any institution or government established by the Tchiani-led regime.
Mr. Touray revealed that the Authority of Heads of State had appointed and dispatched a special representative of the chair of the authority to Niger immediately to deliver its demands.
The New Diplomat reported that members of the Nigerien Presidential Guard detained President Bazoum and later declared General Abdourahamane Tchiani as the nation’s new leader.
Tchiani, who has headed the Presidential Guard since 2011, said he was the new “President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.”
In his remarks, Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, called for swift implementation of these resolutions, demanding that the coup plotters “surrender and return to their barracks”.
“Our message is clear and unequivocal: the coup plotters in Niger must surrender, return to their barracks and allow the popular will of the people to stand and thrive without let or hindrance.
“They bear full responsibility for any breakdown of law and order, including the current atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in the country that has arisen from the military takeover.
“The decisions and recommendations made today (Sunday) and their faithful implementation by all, including the unwavering support of the international community, will serve as the bedrock upon which we can build a brighter future for Niger and the entire region,” Tinubu said.
Sunday’s meeting of the Authority of Heads of State was is at the behest of President Tinubu, who also held bilateral meetings with President Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau, President Iddris Deby of Chad and the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of African Affairs, Michael Health.
Present were Presidents Patrice Talon of Benin Republic, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau, Macky Sall of Senegal and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.
Presidents of Cape Verde, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone were represented.
