West Africa: Niger Coup - Ecowas Name Abdulsalami, Sultan of Sokoto As Envoys to Niger

NigerTZai/Wikimedia Commons
Maourey Avenue (Rue ST-3) in the 'Stade' neighborhood in downtown Niamey,.
2 August 2023
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Chiamaka Okafor

He is accompanied by the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammadu Abubakar who wields enormous influence among the Muslim community within and outside Nigeria. In the team is also Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has appointed Nigeria's former military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, to lead a delegation to Niger for mediation.

He is to be accompanied by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Abubakar, who wields enormous influence among the Muslim community within and outside Nigeria. In the team is also Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission.

The sub-regional bloc had earlier sent the President of Benin, Patrice Talon, and the President of Chad, Mahamat Déby, to Niger to speak with the coup plotters.

ECOWAS on Sunday imposed sanctions including a travel ban and a blockade on Niger until the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum who was ousted by the military on 26 July. It also threatened the use of force and summoned defence chiefs of the sub-region.

According to news reports, defence chiefs met in Abuja. However, Mali, Niger, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso and Guinea were absent from the meeting.

The sanctions have also taken effect as Nigeria on Wednesday began power cuts in Niger.

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