By John Ikani
ECOWAS, the West African bloc, has announced that its leaders are scheduled to convene a meeting on Thursday to address the crisis in Niger.
The military rulers in Niger have defied the ultimatum set by ECOWAS to hand over power or potentially face military action.
The 15-member bloc issued its first official response, stating, “ECOWAS heads of state (will) hold another extraordinary summit on the political situation in the Republic of Niger,” as the deadline passed without Niger reinstating democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
The summit will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, where President Bola Tinubu, the current ECOWAS chairman, presides.
As of now, West African nations are not considering an immediate military intervention, according to an ECOWAS source on Monday.
Italy and Germany have called for a diplomatic solution to address the challenges in the troubled Sahel nation.
Neighboring Mali, along with Burkina Faso, both suspended from ECOWAS due to their own military coups, are sending a joint official delegation to Niamey in a display of solidarity with the people of Niger.
Mali and Burkina Faso have emphasized that military intervention would be seen as a declaration of war.
