ECOWAS delegation arrives in Niger for talks with military junta

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation on Saturday arrived in the Niger Republic for a meeting with the leadership of the military junta that ousted President Mohammed Basoum last month.

The arrival of the delegation led by former Nigeria’s head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Niamey was a last-ditch diplomatic move by ECOWAS after the coup plotters rebuffed entreaties to restore constitutional order in the landlocked West African country.

The delegation was received on arrival in the capital by Niger’s Prime Minister, Ali Lamine Zeine.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, was also on the trip.

The leader of the Nigerien military junta, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, had during the week declared his readiness to meet the ECOWAS delegation on the political situation in the country.

READ ALSO: Niger coup leader, Gen. Tchiani, accepts to dialogue with ECOWAS

The sub-regional body had earlier activated its standby force to eject the coup plotters from the presidential palace and restore Basoum who has been under house arrest since he was toppled on July 26.

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Abdul-Fatau Musah,  told journalists at the end of the meeting of West African defence chiefs held in Accra, Ghana, on Friday said the military heads had agreed on a day to move against the coup plotters.

He, however, said the body would continue to explore the option of dialogue with the junta in the interest of the sub-region.

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