Niger Republic’ Coup D’etat: List of 5 Countries Absent As ECOWAS Defence Chiefs Meet in Nigeria
- ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff is currently meeting at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja over the political situation in the Republic of Niger
- Countries attending the meeting include Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Senegal and Liberia
- Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, presided over the meeting and noted that the military chiefs were committed to the restoration of democratic rule in Niger Republic
Abuja, Nigeria - Military chiefs across West Africa are currently in a crucial meeting at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
Niger: 5 countries absent as ECOWAS Defence Chiefs meet
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) commission chairperson, Omar Touray, disclosed this after an extraordinary session presided over by its chairman, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Abuja.
This is coming after ECOWAS, had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Niger Republic junta who last week removed President Mohamed Bazoum.
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The meeting was to find a way forward on the coup in Niger.
List of countries not in attendance ECOWAS Chiefs meet in Abuja
The Punch reported that Defence Chiefs from Mali, Niger, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Guinea are conspicuously absent from the meeting currently ongoing in Abuja.
Other countries present at the meeting
Defence Chiefs from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, The Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire, and Cape Verde are in attendance at the meeting.
The Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023 meeting which commenced at 12:30 pm is presided over by the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
ECOWAS delegation currently meeting in Niger
Meanwhile, a delegation from ECOWAS led by former military head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar is meeting in Niger on Wednesday to continue mediation, Premium Times reported.
France commenced evacuation of its nationals and other European nationals on Tuesday. As of the time of this report, at least 350 French nationals have been evacuated from Niger, the foreign ministry said.
Coup D’etat: Blackout as Nigeria reportedly cuts power supply to Niger Republic
Major cities in Niger are facing rolling blackouts following last week's coup in the West African country.
Niger’s electricity company Nigelec confirmed the development and noted that it is because Nigeria cut its supply. Nigeria is a major supplier of electricity to Niger, its neighbour to the North.
The power outage is believed by residents to be due to the sanctions on the coup plotters.
Niger coup d'état: ECOWAS military chiefs hold emergency meeting in Abuja as war looms
Legit.ng reported earlier that Military chiefs from some West African countries have arrived at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja for a high-power delegation meeting over the current activities of military juntas in the Niger Republic.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) emergency gathering is being chairman of the military chiefs, Gen. Christopher Musa.
However, the seats reserved for Mali, Guinea Bissau, Niger, and Burkina Faso military chiefs are presently unoccupied as they appear to have ignored the meeting.
Source: Legit.ng