Tinubu hosts Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit on Niger in Abuja

Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, will host an Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit in Abuja on Sunday, aiming to address the political and security crisis in Niger following the recent military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum’s government on Wednesday.

Brig.-Gen Tiani Abdourahamane, Head of the Presidential Guard, emerged as the leader of the newly established military National Council, garnering support from the armed forces.

In response to the coup, Niger’s borders have been closed, national institutions, including Parliament, suspended, and public demonstrations prohibited.

The military officers responsible for the coup accused President Bazoum of corrupt leadership and failure to address security challenges in Niger, a country known for its natural resources but struggling with poverty.

The international community has widely condemned the coup, including the U.S., EU, ECOWAS, and France, the former colonial power in Niger.

Nigeria’s President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who assumed the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in early July, has taken action by sending delegations to mediate in the Niger leadership crisis.

In a strong statement, the ECOWAS Commission has condemned the coup and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of President Bazoum, who is currently detained by the coup leaders.

The situation poses significant challenges for ECOWAS, as it faces socio-economic difficulties and a surge in military rule within the region, with Mali, Guinea Conakry, and Burkina Faso already under military regimes.

As the crisis unfolds, the question remains: will the coup leaders relinquish power peacefully and release those they are holding, or can a diplomatic resolution be achieved?

President Bazoum and his predecessor, former President Mahamadou Issoufou, are close allies of Western nations. France relocated its troops to Niger after they were ousted by the military regime led by Col. Assimi Goita in Mali.

Additionally, the U.S. and other Western countries have deployed troops in the Sahel region, including Niger, to combat terrorism and Islamic Jihadist insurgency.