Abuja, July 30, 2023: Angry West African leaders have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military junta to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic, just as African Union (AU) spits fire on the July 26, 2023 military coup.
As leaders rose from an emergency meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday in Abuja, they threatened far reaching and painful reaction to the coup if the military failed to meet the deadline.
ECOWAS threatened some sort of military action and also to imposed a no-flight zone and closure of land borders on Niger Republic just as the African Union (AU) through its Peace and Security Council (PSC) on July 28, 2023 in Addis Ababa, demanded the military to immediately and unconditionally return to their barracks.
ECOWAS like AU also directed the military to restore constitutional authority and reinstate President Bazoum within the deadline of seven days against AU’s fifteen days from July 28.
The fears of the coup plotters that they could face military action is not far as ECOWAS directed all Chiefs of Defence 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.
ECOWAS, which recognised President Bazoum as the legitimate President of the nation, 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.
The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS which invited the leadership of Chad, a non-ECOWAS member sharing border with Niger, insisted on the immediate release from detention of President Bazoum.
The communiqué read by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, also rejected any form of resignation that may purportedly come from the embattled President Bazoum.
The communiqué also 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 President Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.
“In the event the Authority’s demands are not met within one week, ECOWAS will take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.’’
They listed some other measures as suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Asia with Niger.
Others include the freezing of 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.
The measures of ECOWAS are in addition to the ones released by the Peace and Security Council of the AU released on July 28, 2023 in Addis Ababa, including the immediate and unconditional release of President Bazoum.
AU also urged the military to release all other detainees, and to “respect human rights, including protection of their physical health and moral integrity and warns that Security Council, will take necessary action, including punitive measures against the perpetrators, should the rights of political detainee by violated.
The PSC also expressed AU’s “deep concern over the alarming resurgence of military coups d’état which undermine democracy, peace, security and stability in the Continent; and reiterates its zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government’’.
The AU commended the efforts of the ECOWAS under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria for the deployment of President Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin as the Special Envoy to Niger.
President Tinubu had registered the displeasure of ECOWAS at the coup d’état saying: “Africa has come of age; we reject coup and interruption to constitutional order.”
“As African leaders, it is our sheer responsibility to foster stability and progress, placing the wellbeing of our people at the forefront of our endeavours.
“Working together towards their prosperity and happiness must always constantly be our goal and consistently, we will stand with our people in freedom and our commitment to the rule of law and not the barrel of gun.”
The military coup was led by 59-year-old Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, the chief of Niger’s presidential guard, has since been condemned by the United Nations, the European Union, the United States among other world and regional leaders.
The European Union (EU) has also suspended its financial support and cooperation on security with Niger with immediate, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said.
Tchiani declared himself leader after staging a takeover that began on July 26, 2023 when his presidential guards seized President Bazoum and sequestered him in the presidential palace.
The military authority in Niger has warned State Diplomatic and Consular Missions, to refrain from any behaviour or talk against the new government.
The National Council for the Protection of the Homeland (NSP) of Niger urged members of Niger State Diplomatic and Consular Missions, to comply strictly with their missions as Niger State representatives abroad.
The Secretary General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ado Elhadji Abou, advised the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts to ensure adherence to these instructions.
The military also warned against any armed intervention.
The military in a television broadcast on Saturday night said: “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,”
The military’s spokesman Col. Amadou Abdramane, said: “We want to once more remind ECOWAS or any other adventurer, of our firm determination to defend our homeland.”
