December 3, 2024
Niger: ECOWAS orders the deployment of its forces

The navy junta would threaten to kill the president-elect, Mohamed Bazoum, deposed after the coup d’etat on July 26, and held hostage, if an armed intervention is carried out

The president of the Fee of the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (Cedeao), Omar Alieu Touray, ordered this Thursday to “activate” a regional drive “instantly” to “restore constitutional order” in Niger.

“I order the activation of the ECOWAS reserve drive with all its components instantly,” Touray mentioned Thursday in Abuja, throughout a unprecedented assembly of ECOWAS heads of state and authorities to discover a answer to the Niger disaster. by the coup d’etat on July 26.

The choice is stunning after the president of Nigeria and shift head of the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS), Bola Tinubu, identified earlier than the assembly of the bloc’s leaders, assembly in Abuja to discover a answer and drive the withdrawal of the coup leaders, that it’s “essential” to prioritize “dialogue”.

For its half, Niger’s junta reportedly informed a senior US diplomat that it might kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if neighboring nations tried any navy intervention to revive his authorities, two Western officers informed The Related Press.

Junta representatives knowledgeable US Below Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the risk towards Bazoum throughout her go to to the nation this week, a Western navy official mentioned, talking on situation of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the state of affairs.

A US official confirmed that account, additionally talking on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not approved to talk to the media.

Bazoum, who was deposed on July 26, says he’s being held hostage at his residence.

Earlier than the announcement of the cedeaothe spokesman for the European Union, Peter Stano, had declared that what the ECOWAS leaders determine “will decide the following steps” of the EU and affirmed that Brussels will help “firmly and resolutely” the measures they undertake, “together with doable sanctions” they comply with, he added.