ECOWAS gives Niger’s coupists one week to reinstate Bazoum, threatens military action

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the coupists in Niger Republic to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum as a democratically elected President or face a range of stiff sanctions, including military action.

This was the resolution of the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, which held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

While recognising Bazoum as the country’s legitimate President, the regional body also threatened to impose land border closures and no-fly zone conditions on Niger Republic should the military coup masterminds fail to heed its ultimatum.

It also tasked all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member-states to proceed for an emergency meeting to strategize on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore constitutional order to office.

According to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, who read the communiqué, the body “calls 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.

“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.

“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Asia. Freeze all service transactions including energy transactions.

“Freeze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank. Freeze of assets of the Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.

“Suspension of measure from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID”, he said.

Meanwhile, Niger’s military leaders, on Saturday, warned against any armed intervention in the country as heads of state of the 15-member ECOWAS and the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union, also known by its French acronym UEMOA, headed for Abuja.

General Abdourahmane Tchiani – also known as Omar Tchiani, and the chief of Niger’s presidential guard – declared himself leader while the country’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, has been held by the military since the coup took place last week.

Ahead of ECOWAS summit today, the military leaders in Niger warned against any military intervention in a statement read on Niger national television on Saturday night.

“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.

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

ECOWAS has the power to impose sanctions on Niger, which is one of its 15 members. Last year, its leaders agreed to create a regional security force to intervene against rebel groups and prevent military coups.

There has been a standby force for years, but it has never been activated in recent times. The [last] time it was activated was in 2017 in the Gambia when former President Yahya Jammeh tried to stay in power after he lost the election to the current president.

Details on how that force would work and its funding are still unclear, with ECOWAS defence ministers expected to make decisions later this year.

ECOWAS chairman, Bola Tinubu, said on Friday that the West African bloc and the international community “would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the region”.

Ahead of Sunday’s gathering, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Tinubu to convey his “deep concern” over the situation in Niger, and “underscored his support for President Tinubu’s continued efforts to restore constitutional order” there.