The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, says the use of force is still an option if the military junta in Niger Republic fails to release ousted President Bazoum.
This is part of the communique released on Sunday in Abuja by the regional body at the end of the 64th ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Recall that ECOWAS had in July threatened to flush out the military junta if they failed to release President Bazoum and restore the country to constitutional democracy.
ECOWAS also imposed economic sanctions on the country, including air and land blockades.
The former president has remained in detention alongside his family with no hope of freedom. The Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani-led Junta has also failed to release a timeline for returning the poor West African country to democracy.
In the ECOWAS meeting held in Nigeria’s capital and chaired by President Tinubu, the bloc resolved to set up a committee of heads of state to engage with the Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, the military junta, on the need to set up a short transition timetable for the return to civil administration.
ECOWAS said the decision by the junta to comply with its demands will determine whether sanctions imposed on the country will be removed.
It also frowned on what it described as the reluctance of the junta to Bazoum.
The communique said, “Consequently, the Authority calls on the CMSP to release President Mohammed Bazoum, his family, and associates immediately and without precondition.
“The Authority decides to set up a committee of Heads of State made up of the President and Head of State of the Republic of Togo, the President and the Head of State of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the President and Head of State of the Republic of Benin, to engage with the CMSP and other stakeholders with a view to agreeing on a short transition roadmap, establishing transition organs as well as facilitating the setting up of a transition monitoring and evaluation mechanism towards this speedy restoration of constitutional order.
“Based on the outcomes of the engagement by the committee of Heads of state with the CMSP, the Authority will progressively ease the sanctions imposed on Niger.
“In the event of failure by the CMSP to comply with the outcomes of the engagement with the committee, ECOWAS shall maintain all sanctions, including the use of force, and shall request the African Union and all other partners to enforce the targeted sanctions on members of the CMSP and their associates.”
Meanwhile, President Tinubu said at the meeting yesterday that ECOWAS is not moved by the plan of Niger and other countries in the region to form a confederation.
On December 1, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger recommended the creation of a confederation as part of a long-term goal of uniting the West African neighbors within a federation.
The three countries are currently under military rule.
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