NIGER | ECOWAS orders immediate standby force against Niger junta

ABUJA, Nigeria, August 10, 2023 - West African heads of state who attended today's summit of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, have said all options including the use of force remained on the table to restore constitutional order in Niger after the July 26 coup. They have ordered the ECOWAS standby force to prepare to restore constitutional order in NIger Republic.

The President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray made the declaration while reading the resolution of ECOWAS on the Niger coup at the ECOWAS Extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Thursday, to discuss responses to last month’s military takeover in Niger, after the coup leaders defied their earlier threat to use force to restore democracy.

It also called on the African Union, AU, partner countries and institutions to support the resolution taken by the sub-regional body.

ECOWAS said all efforts made to dialogue with Niger Republic military junta have been defiantly rejected by coup leaders as they condemn continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.

In closing remarks, the bloc pledged to enforce sanctions and travel bans on those preventing the return to power of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

“No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort,” said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, the ECOWAS chair, at the end of the summit.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Niger in the journey towards peaceful democratic stability,” he said.

“I hope that through our collective effort we can bring about a peaceful resolution as a roadmap to restoring stability and democracy in Niger. All is not lost yet.”

The resolution partly reads, “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.

ECOWAS deploys standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger pic.twitter.com/8qSuHw6VOe

— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) August 10, 2023

“Underscore its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.”

A total of eleven out of the sixteen ECOWAS Heads of State and Government attended the ECOWAS Extraordinary meeting.

The Summit was expected to deliberate on developments in neighbouring Niger Republic, particularly on the next line of actions that will follow up on the resolutions and ultimatum issued to the Nigerien junta, which recently toppled the administration of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Among the Presidents at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the venue of the extraordinary meeting are the ECOWAS Chairman and President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, President. Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea Bissau and President Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.

Others are President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania , President Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo.

Recall that at about fortnight ago, the ECOWAS Heads of State have ordered the military junta in Niger that overthrew the democratically elected President Muhamad Bazoum to reverse their action and reinstate the President.

ECOWAS gave the military junta a seven day ultimatum to vacate the seat of power and handover to the sacked President, Bazoum and the ultimatum had since expired.

The West African body threatened several sanctions including military actions against the military junta if they failed to vacate office and reinstate the embattled President.