Coup D’état: Ex-Nigerian President Leads ECOWAS Delegates to Niger for Negotiation

• Efforts are ongoing to restore democracy in the Niger Republic following an unprecedented coup d'etat led by Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani
• Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani's coup also led to the capture of President Mohamed Bazoum, who is currently in detention
• Meanwhile, ECOWAS has sent Former Nigeria’s military head of state Alhaji Abdulsalami Abubakar and the Sultan of Sokoto to broker peace in Niger

Niger, Niamey: Former Nigeria’s military head of state Alhaji Abdulsalami Abubakar has led a delegate of top ECOWAS leaders to Niamey, Niger’s capital, for a peace talk following the unprecedented July coup.

As reported by TheCable, the Abdulsalami-led delegates arrived the Niger’s capital on Wednesday, August 2.

The former head of state was accompanied by Muhammadu Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, and Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission.

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The Republic of Niger is under General Abdourahmane Tiani’s leadership, who was head of the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum’s presidential guard.

At the seizure of power and administrative duties, General Tchiani captured and detained President Bazoum.

General Tchiani revealed that Bazoum was detained due to corruption and bad governance during his office.

Attempt to free President Bazoum from detention

ECOWAS, on the other hand, has attempted to secure President Bazoum’s freedom by sending President Patrice Talon of Benin and the Chadian Leader Mahamat Déby to negotiate and appeal.

However, this attempt proved futile as the coup leaders refused to grant his (President Bazoum) release from detention.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS held an emergency meeting on Sunday, July 30, declaring sanctions on the Republic of Niger.

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Niger Coup: Military govt issues fresh order concerning 5 neighbouring countries

These sanctions included; all commercial and financial transactions” between member states and Niger, military invasion, and an ultimatum of 7 days to return power to President Bazoum.

Nigelec, Niger’s electricity company, said power shortages had hit the warring country after Nigeria’s government cut its supply.

The sanctions have prompted Mali and Burkina Faso, both still ruled by the military, to threaten that any further interventions in Niger would also be considered a declaration of war against them.

Coup D'état: President Tinubu Deploys Nigerian Troops to Niger? Fact Emerges

Meanwhile, Nigeria's Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied the report that President Bola Tinubu has mobilised military action against the military junta in Niger.

The military authority in Nigeria said it was yet to receive any order to carry out military operations from the appropriate source.

Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the acting director of defence information, said the Armed Forces of Nigeria would only carry out operations in member states of ECOWAS with an appropriate order.

Source: Legit.ng