Niger coup: ECOWAS leaders to meet Thursday as ultimatum ends

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The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, are meeting on Thursday in Abuja, in the wake of the expiration of the one-week ultimatum given to the military leaders in Niger Republic to restore the outsted democratic government in the country.

This extraordinary summit of heads of state is to decide on the political situation in the Republic after the country’s military leaders ignored Sunday’s deadline to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

The summit is to be held in Abuja, Nigeria, with President Bola Tinubu presiding as the current ECOWAS chairman.

Indications on Monday are that ECOWAS countries may not be envisaging an immediate military intervention at this stage.

Indeed, Italy and Germany called for a diplomatic solution in the troubled Sahel nation.

Neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso — which have both been suspended from ECOWAS over their own military coups — were sending a joint official delegation to Niamey to show “solidarity (with) the people of Niger”.

They have said military intervention would be tantamount to a declaration of war.