The head of a group of West African countries that previously threatened to invade Niger and restore democracy is stressing it will pursue all diplomatic options, while also promising “no option is off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.”
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, speaking as chairperson of the regional group ECOWAS, made the comments at a summit in Abuja, Nigeria, convened to discuss the ongoing coup in Niger.
The meeting comes two weeks after a military junta overthrew democratically elected Mohamed Bazoum and several days after the coup leaders ignored ECOWAS’ previous invasion threat.
While leaders did mention military force and indicated they would activate the groups’ Standby Force, Tinubu stressed the Economic Community of West Africa States has a “duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”
“We still look to engage the parties involved, including the coup leaders, in honest discussions to convince them to relinquish power,” he said.
The resolutions did not specify how the group would be funded or which would participate or supply arms and troops.
University of Port Harcourt professor Fidelis Allen, speaking to Global News the day before the summit began, said the burden would fall on Nigeria, and that most people are more concerned about putting food on their table than the coup next door.
“People are very indisposed to go to war,” he said from Port Harcourt, Nigeria. “The average Nigerian, in my view at the moment, really wants the government to concentrate on the economy.”
While ECOWAS members called on the junta to re-instate Bazoum, coup leaders have named their own government. They’ve also refused to meet with any ECOWAS or United Nation diplomats.
The juntas in nearby Burkina Faso and Mali have vowed to defend the new leaders.
“I hope that through our collective effort we can bring about a peaceful resolution as a roadmap to restoring stability and democracy in Niger,” Tinubu said. “All is not lost yet.”
— With files from Reuters and The Associated Press