The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS will meet on Thursday to unveil its next plan of action after the junta which overthrew Niger Republic’s president Mohamad Bazoum failed to heed an ultimatum to hand over power.
The body had given a 7-day ultimatum to the General Abdourahamane Tchoumeni led-junta at its emergency meeting nine days ago, or risk military action, a move the coup leaders had responded to by closing the country’s airspace with a warning that it will meet any external aggression with force.
The meeting of ECOWAS, according to a memo, is to enable the West African leaders either firm plans to remove the junta with the use of force or continue to explore the diplomatic option which have so far failed to yield fruit as the military have said it will not be pushed around as it claims it has the support of the citizens to oust President Bazoum.
The junta points to the thousands who thronged the stadium in the capital, Niamey on Sunday as the top brass held a rally there.
This is coming as the United States acting Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland met with Gen. Moussa Salaou Barmou, the junta’s chief of defence staff, and three colonels for more than two hours for “extremely frank and at times quite difficult” conversations over the coup.
The U.S has about a thousand troops in Niger Republic.
(EDITOR: TIENABESO BIBIYE)
