ECOWAS Coup Deadline: AANI warns Nigeria, others against invading Niger

The Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) has called for caution and counselled against military action in the Republic of Niger following Sunday’s expiration of the ECOWAS deadline.

In a statement on Sunday, AANI spokesman Sani Usman said the association strongly condemned the military seizure of power in Niger. Mr Usman said AANI also supported the efforts of ECOWAS to restore democracy in Niger.

“AANI, therefore, urges caution against immediate military action. Instead, non-military options like diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions should be adopted towards a peaceful resolution and a quicker return to democratic governance in Niger Republic,” stated AANI.

According to the AANI chief, military action by ECOWAS may escalate the current situation into a humanitarian crisis and worsen the security challenges in the West African sub-region.

“This would exacerbate the security challenges and create a more complex and dangerous situation. It is, therefore, essential to prioritise peaceful and diplomatic solutions to the political crisis,” the AANI leader noted.

AANI spokesman urged ECOWAS to upscale diplomatic efforts to persuade the military leaders in Niger to relinquish power and allow the democratically elected government to reclaim the people’s mandate.

According to him, ECOWAS would have demonstrated commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and regional stability by avoiding military intervention.

On July 30, ECOWAS announced a one-week ultimatum for the coup plotters in Niger to hand over power to the democratically elected government. The decision was made following an extraordinary session of the ECOWAS member states, presided over by President Bola Tinubu, its chairman, in Abuja.

At that meeting, a resolution was reached to impose several sanctions on Niger over the military coup. 

Reading the communique, Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, said the authority affirmed its recognition of Mohamed Bazoum as the legitimate president of Niger, and only his official acts or that of his duly mandated officials will be recognised.

The authority also condemned the detention of Mr Bazoum, calling for his immediate release and reinstatement.

ECOWAS said if the demand was not met within one week, all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger, including the use of force, would be taken.

Mr Touray said in the meantime, ECOWAS has resolved to close all land and air borders between member countries and Niger.

It also resolved to institute an ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger.

Other resolutions include the “suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger.”

All service transactions will be frozen, including energy transactions and deals with all financial institutions. In addition, a travel ban and an asset freeze for the military officials involved in the coup will be imposed.

The same sanctions apply to the family members of the military officials and the civilians who accept to participate in any institution or government established by the military officials.

On August 3, chiefs of defence staff of the ECOWAS met in Abuja over the situation in Niger. Ten countries attended the meeting, including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Liberia, Ghana, Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Benin and Senegal.

Mali, Niger, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Burkina Faso were absent from the meeting.

On Wednesday, the chairman of the ECOWAS authority of heads of state, Mr Tinubu, dispatched a delegation to the Niger Republic with a mandate to expeditiously resolve the current political impasse in the country.