*Shuts air, land links, freeze accounts of Niger, put Defence Chiefs on standby
President Bola Tinubu and other West African leaders have threatened to forcefully reinstate the President of Niger Republic, Mohammed Bazoum, if the military coup plotters detaining him in Niamey, the country’s capital, do not release him and restore him to power within seven days.
Rising from an emergency meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja on Sunday, the leaders put their respective Chiefs of Defence on standby to move against the coupists if their demands a are not met.
Tagged ‘Extraordinary Summit on Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger’, the meeting which was hosted by President Tinubu as current ECOWAS chairman, at Nigeria’s Presidential Villa, restated its strong opposition to the coup d’etat by Niger’s military and support for it expressed by any foreign government or private army.
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and read out to journalists by President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, also pointedly rejected any form of purported resignation by President Bazoum, and declared him as the only recognised and elected President of Niger by ECOWAS, the African Union and the international community.
‘‘In this regard, only official acts of President Bazoum or his duly-mandated officials will be recognized by ECOWAS,’’ the leaders said.
They expressly condemned the attempted overthrow of constitutional order in Niger, and the illegal detention of President Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.
Aside demanding the full restoration of constitutional order in Niger, the ECOWAS leaders considered the illegal detention of Bazoum as a hostage situation, holding the authors of the attempted coup d’état solely and fully responsible for his safety and security and that of his family and government.
In the event, ECOWAS’ demands are not met within one week, the leaders said they 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 are to meet immediately,’’ the leaders said.
ECOWAS leaders also condemned the pronouncement of support by foreign governments and foreign private military contractors, while expressing appreciation to various governments and partners for their stance and solidarity.
The Summit also agreed to appoint and dispatch a Special Representative to deliver the demands of the authority.
In response to the coup attempt, the Summit 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 suspending all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger Republic.
Furthermore, assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Bank, Niger 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 ECOWAS.
Additionally, travel bans and assets freezes were imposed on the military officials involved in the coup attempt, as well as their family members and civilians who accept to participate in any institution or government established by these military officials.
In his closing remarks to the Summit, President Tinubu thanked fellow leaders, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, the Special Representative of the Secretary -General and Head of the United Nations Office in West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simaõ, for their active engagement and invaluable contributions to the discussions.
‘‘As we come close to this Extraordinary Summit on the socio- political situation in the Republic of Niger, I send my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your active engagement in our open and closed door meeting.
‘‘Your invaluable contributions to our discussions have got us this far and hopefully, we will achieve our objective.
‘‘The essence of African unity and solidarity is hereby reaffirmed. Our unwavering commitment to democracy, peace and prosperity is hereby resolved.
‘‘Throughout our deliberations, we have recognized that the challenges faced by Niger are inter connected with broader issues affecting our region.
‘‘As African leaders, it is our shared responsibility to foster stability and progress, placing the wellbeing of our people at the forefront of our endeavours, and working together towards their prosperity and happiness must always consistently, be our goals and consistently.
‘‘We will stand with our people in freedom and our commitment to the rule of law and not the barrel of gun. Africa has come of age.
‘‘We reject coup and interruption to constitutional order. Thank you for coming,’’ he said.
Before the Summit, the President also held bilateral meetings with President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau, President Mahmat Iddris Deby Itno of Chad, and Michael Health, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of African Affairs.
Presidents Patrice Talon of Benin Republic, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Embalo of Guinea Bissau, Macky Sall of Senegal, Faure Gnassingbé of Togo attended the Summit while the Presidents of Cape Verde, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone were represented.
