Brussels 10.08.2023 The military who seized power in a coup in Niamey on Wednesday, July 26, accused France, previously an ally of Niger, of releasing 16 jihadists and violating the country’s airspace, on the eve of a crisis summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The leaders of the ECOWAS, opposed to the coup in Niger, still give priority to diplomacy, while maintaining the threat of armed intervention. They are due to meet at a summit in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Thursday August 10 to assess the situation.
On Wednesday evening, August 9, an ex-emir of Kano state and close to the Nigerien President Bola Tinubu, who currently heads ECOWAS, attempted to mediate with the military regime in Niamey.
“We spoke with the Head of State”, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Niger’s new strongman, and “we are going to return to Nigeria to convey to President” Bola Tinubu a “message” from the general, declared the former – Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on Niger national television.
AFRICA DIPLOMATIC 