The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has issued a one-week deadline to the military junta that ousted Mohammed Bazoum, President of the Niger Republic to reinstate him.
President Bola Tinubu and chairman of ECOWAS, said on Sunday during his welcome address at the meeting of the 15 ECOWAS leaders in Abuja on Sunday, that there is “no time for warning signals, it’s time for action”.
The meeting was held to discuss the recent coup in the Niger Republic which has left Bazoum in detention after being overthrown by members of his presidential guard.
Tinubu said it was time to be “strong, forceful and resolute” in ensuring the reinstatement of Bazoum.
The ECOWAS leaders rose from the extraordinary meeting and issued a one-week ultimatum to the military junta holding President Bazoum hostage to reinstate him as President.
“We should walk our talk,” Tinubu said just before the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu-Touray, read the communique of the meeting of the West African heads of state and government.
Addressing the “attempted overthrow” of the constitutional order in Niger, the regional body reiterated its “zero-tolerance” for unconstitutional change of government in the sub-region and resolved that Bazoum remains the legitimate President and Head of State of Niger while condemning “in the strongest terms” overthrow and detention.
The organisation insisted that Bazoum is recognised as the legitimate, elected president of Niger by the African Union and the international community.
ECOWAS also rejected any purported resignation from Bazoum.
“If the authorities’ demands are not met within one week, ECOWAS will take all necessary measures, including the use of force, to restore constitutional order,” the communique reads.
The regional body warned that those responsible for violence and terror against the citizens and residents of Niger will be held accountable.
Immediate actions to be taken by ECOWAS include the closure of land and air borders within ECOWAS countries and establishing an echo no-fly zone for commercial flights to and from Asia.
There will also be a freezing of assets and suspension of all financial assistance transactions including of bodies that support the coup attempt.
ECOWAS also imposed travel bans and asset freezes for military officials involved in the coup attempt, and extended them to their family members and civilians supporting their institutions or government.
It said a representative of the ECOWAS chair will be dispatched to Niger to deliver the demands of the authority.
