As the Economic Community Of West Africa States (ECOWAS) prepares for a crisis summit in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu has said no option has been ruled out in resolving the crisis in Niger Republic.
Gists9ja reports that while concerns have been raised about a proposed military intervention in the crisis, the ECOWAS says diplomacy is still the “best way forward.”
This platform reported on Tuesday that ECOWAS imposed fresh sanctions over the coup in the Niger Republic.
Gists9ja understands that ECOWAS had earlier given coup leaders in Niger seven days to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military action.
The coup leaders, however, did not feel threatened by the decree of ECOWAS and vowed to resist any foreign intervention on its soil.
It also severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France, and the US and shut down Nigerien airspace indefinitely.
Following the end of the request, ECOWAS on Monday fixed a meeting for Thursday to review the situation in the West African nation.
However, President Tinubu, the head of the West African bloc ECOWAS, has said no option has been ruled out in its approach to the Niger Coup.
The presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday, said, “No options have been taken off of the table.”
He explained that as the head of the bloc, Tinubu is considering and other West African leaders favour diplomacy.
Meanwhile, the United States said it still hoped to reverse the coup but was “realistic” a day after a top US envoy made no visible progress in an unannounced visit.
The State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that “We do have hope that the situation will be reversed, but at the same time, we are making clear, including in direct conversations with junta leaders themselves, what the consequences are for failing to return to constitutional order.”
However, Channel Television said a source close to ECOWAS on Monday disclosed that military intervention was not being immediately envisaged and the path to dialogue still appeared open.
