The ECONOMIC Community of West African States ECOWAS ,has ended its second extraordinary meeting in Abuja with a renewed call on the Junta in Niger Republic to restore democratic order without delay.
President of the commission Omar Touray who read the communique at the end of the meeting on Thursday, August 10 said that the bloc condemned the coup detat in Niger in totality and the continued detention of President Bazoum, his family and members of his government.
ECOWAS said that having considered the report of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence meeting in Abuja and emissaries sent to the Junta towards restoration of democracy and concluded that the Nigerien military deliberately repelled the demands of ECOWAS,it was left with no other choice but to uphold its decision of July 30.
The body reiterated that it wants the restoration of constitutional order in Niger through peaceful means and called on all partners ,- the African Union, United Nations and others not to relent in helping the ECOWAS achieve its objective in Niger.
While It commended President Bola Tinubu for the manner in which he is leading the regional bloc as “chair of Authority”, it thanked special envoys -former Head of State, Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Sultan and others who went to Niger to mediate in the crisis .
ECOWAS had on July 30, dished out several biting sanctions against Niger Republic for ousting Mohammed Bazoum,who was elected President in 2021 through the ballot.
Following the coup, the leaders of ECOWAS immediately agreed to impose sanctions which includes a No – fly – zone on the country and shutting of borders with Niger and seizing of financial assets in addition.
The Thursday meeting was attended by no fewer than eleven Heads of government including Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia Cape Verde,, President of the Republic of Burundi, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania , President of Togo, Special UN envoy for West Africa.
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