W.African Summit Steps Up Threat Of Force Against Niger Coup Leaders

Abuja, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Aug, 2023 ) :West African leaders on Thursday increased their threat of imminent military action against Niger after the country's coup's leaders moved to consolidate their control two weeks after seizing power.

At an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), members decided "to order the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger", its Commission President Omar Touray said.

The bloc had already set a deadline of last Sunday for the military leaders to reinstate Niger's president Mohamed Bazoum -- detained since July 26 -- or face military intervention.

But the regime ignored the deadline.

The details of any eventual military deployment by ECOWAS states and its impact on Niger were not immediately clear.

"All is not lost yet" for a "peaceful solution, as a roadmap to restore democracy and stability", said Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu, who chaired the crisis meeting.

But he added: "No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.

"If we don't do it, no one else will do it for us." Before the closed-door talks, Tinubu had insisted that "we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach".

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara noted that the West African bloc "has intervened in the past, in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in Gambia and Guinea-Bissau" when constitutional order in the countries was threatened.

"Today we have a similar situation in Niger, and I like to say that ECOWAS cannot accept this," he said.