A delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has arrived in Niger for a final attempt at diplomacy with the junta, to restore constitutional order to the country.
The group was led by former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar.
They were received by the country’s Prime Minister, Lamine Zeine on Saturday.
According to a journalist in Niger, the delegation was able to meet with the deposed President, Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted from office when the military seized power last month.
Bazoum was reportedly in good spirits, even though his electricity was still cut off.
Prior to this, a previous ECOWAS delegation who tried to meet with Bazoum two weeks ago was denied access by the military. At the time, they were also denied a meeting with the leader of the coup, Abdourahamane Tchiani.
Today’s attempt at diplomacy by ECOWAS comes as Mali and Burkina Faso deployed warplanes to Niger after ECOWAS threatened to employ armed intervention to restore democracy in Niger.
A report by the Niger Television station stated that the countries had deployed Super Tucano fighter jets.
Mali and Burkina Faso had earlier indicated that they would support the junta in Niger should ECOWAS decide to employ violence to restore order in the country. Both countries are also under military rule.
Niger’s junta came into power after staging a coup and ousting Bazoum on July 26, after which it appointed one of its generals, Abdourahmane Tchiani, as President.
ECOWAS had given the junta a seven-day ultimatum on July 30, within which it had to stand down and restore Bazoum to his position as President. However, the ultimatum expired with little reaction from them.
Recently, the junta revealed plans to prosecute Bazoum on charges of treason. ECOWAS swiftly cautioned the junta against that, describing the prosecution plans as a provocation.
