Niger: War or dialogue as ECOWAS leaders  meet today

Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet  today  in Abuja to decide on what to do with the political crises in Niger Republic, whose military rulers have resisted its ultimatum to concede power or face probable military action.

With the deadline to restore democratic governance long passed, ECOWAS’ stout initial action seems to have been exchanged for a more pragmatic approach.

Top diplomats from the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States will today storm Abuja, the nation’s capital, to take major decisions at an Extraordinary Summit on the political development in the Niger Republic.

ECOWAS, which has previously sent military forces into troubled member states and imposed sanctions, had told the coup leaders to stand down by Sunday. But the coup leaders instead closed Niger’s airspace and pledged to defend the country.

“Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” a spokesman for the coup leaders said in a statement on national television.

It’s been four days since coup leaders in Niger ignored a deadline by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to return Niger to civilian rule or face serious repercussions, including the possible use of force.

On Tuesday, the coup leaders refused entry to a joint delegation from African countries and the United Nations ahead of yet another meeting by ECOWAS on Thursday to decide what to do next.

Meanwhile tensions are high as many in Niger disagree with the idea of a West African military intervention.

Bibata Niandou Barry, a lawyer based in Niger’s capital, Niamey, was a Cabinet minister under former President Mamadou Tandja, who led the country from 1999 until 2010, when he was toppled in a coup.

The military government is bracing for a response from ECOWAS after ignoring its deadline to reinstate Bazoum or face the threat of military intervention.

In a statement by the secretariat, the summit will be held in Abuja, the ECOWAS headquarters.

“President Bola Tinubu, president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and chairman of the authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of the ECOWAS leaders, will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the summit,” the organisation said.

Recall that ECOWAS had met in Abuja on July 30, where a seven-day deadline was issued for the Niger junta to reinstate Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military intervention, but the junta severed ties with Nigeria and some other countries sympathetic to Bazoum’s cause, rather than reinstate the deposed Niger leader.

The military regime, which declared their Commander, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the new head of state, vowed not to bow to outside pressure. It also warned against foreign intervention, vowing to defend the territorial integrity of Niger.

On Friday, military chiefs of some West African countries said they had agreed on a plan for possible military intervention in the event push for a diplomatic solution failed. The chiefs of defence staff from Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde and the Republic of Benin held the meeting in Abuja.

ECOWAS had last week sent a high-powered delegation to broker peace with the coupists but their representatives met with the team led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

The coup leaders have not issued any statement on the deadline yet. However, Italy has called on ECOWAS to prolong the timeframe for the reinstallation of the deposed president, who remains detained. This counsel was offered yesterday by Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani.

“The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of ECOWAS, which expired last night (Sunday), will be extended today (Monday),” he said.

Due to concerns of potential military involvement from ECOWAS, Niger shut down its airspace starting Sunday. Prior to this, numerous supporters of the junta gathered at a stadium in Niamey, the capital, showing their approval of the decision to resist external demands for stepping down by Sunday, subsequent to the seizure of power on July 26.

European carriers have reported disruptions and suspended flights across the African continent on Monday after Niger’s military government closed its airspace.

The summit, which is expected to plot the ouster of the junta, will be hosted by the Chairman of the ECOWAS of Heads of States and Government, President Bola Tinubu.

As ECOWAS leaders meet today will they decide to engage the junta in frontal attack? Many prominent individuals and groups have been asking for diplomatic approach to the crisis.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs warned the Federal Government and ECOWAS against carrying out a military action in Niger.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Prof. Salisu Shehu in a statement on Wednesday, warned that sanctions, like the ones imposed by ECOWAS, would be counter-productive and would have “socio-economic negative implications for both Nigerians and Nigeriens especially as we share common history and borders.”

Concerned about what might be the consequences of the proposed military intervention in Niger Republic, the Reunion of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) has urged the Authority of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to restrain from the use of force to restore the constitutional regime in the country.

RECOWA, comprising all Catholic Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops in West Africa, also urged the sub-regional leaders to learn from what happened in Libya in 2011, describing it as a tragic example of the disastrous consequences for people’s lives, dignity and future.

They expressed their concerns in a two-page letter addressed to the President of ECOWAS, Heads of State of ECOWAS and the Transitional Authorities in Niger on August 7, calling for dialogue and reconciliation rather than belligerence and military response.

“We firmly believe that every human being is called to live in peace and to be a peacemaker in accordance with the teachings of the Bible and those of the holy books of other religious confessions, which exhort us to work for reconciliation and brotherhood between all peoples.

“Peace is a precious gift that we must cultivate and preserve together. It is like a common mat that we must weave together with each person contributing to his or her own thread,” the bishops canvassed measures to deepen and promote peace within the sub-region.

They also challenged on all men, women, and national, sub-regional and international organisations to play a positive role in easing tensions and promoting lasting peace, noting that the people of the region “love and accept each other and are constantly seeking to improve their coexistence.

“This is a natural gift that we must support and encourage. Every actor and institution should contribute positively to this process by promoting dialogue and cooperation,” the bishops further demanded.

The warning came as a former emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, on Wednesday, met with Tchiani in Niamey to discuss the political impasse which resulted from the overthrow of President Bazoum.