NIAMEY: A delegation of Nigerian religious leaders arrived in Niger on Saturday for discussions with the military leaders who seized power in a coup last month. The visit comes as West African leaders strive to find a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing crisis while not ruling out the possibility of employing force if necessary.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine welcomed the delegation in Niamey, Niger’s capital. The group consists of Muslim religious leaders and seeks to mediate between the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Nigerien military authorities.
Earlier in the week, the delegation held talks with the President of ECOWAS, Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu, in Abuja, as part of their efforts to facilitate dialogue between ECOWAS and Niger’s military leaders.
ECOWAS Approves Force Deployment in Niger
ECOWAS had approved the potential deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger in response to the coup that saw President Mohamed Bazoum removed from power by his own guard on July 26. However, a crisis meeting scheduled for Saturday to address the coup and its implications has been postponed indefinitely.
While ECOWAS has not provided detailed plans or a specific timetable for the potential military intervention, the organization’s leaders have expressed their preference for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Following the coup, ECOWAS issued a deadline for the military leaders to reinstate President Bazoum by last Sunday or face the possibility of forceful action. The coup leaders have defied this ultimatum, and the deadline passed without any concrete measures taken.
The potential for military intervention has stirred division among ECOWAS member states and other African nations, who are wary of the potential consequences of such a move in a volatile region.
An attempt earlier this week to dispatch a joint delegation comprised of representatives from ECOWAS, the United Nations, and the African Union to Niamey was rejected by the coup leaders.
