APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has said that an ECOWAS mission has been sent to Niger Republic to intercede in the attempted coup in the country.
Speaking after the meeting with President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic, at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday in Abuja, President Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said that President Talon was mandated by ECOWAS to proceed immediately to the West African country.
It will be recalled that during a meeting between Tinubu and the Presidents of Niger and Benin recently in Abuja, President Talon was mandated to lead the ECOWAS delegation to Mali and Burkina Faso where the military are in control.
Local media reports said that there was an attempted coup in Niger Republic on Wednesday and that the presidential guards were holding President Mohamed Bazoum hostage at the Presidential Palace in Niamey.
Meanwhile, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has described the recent developments in the Republic of Niger as “unpleasant”, insisting that Nigeria would do all within its power to plant and nurture democracy in West Africa.
President Tinubu said on Wednesday in Abuja that “We are closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger and we will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well rooted and thrives in our region.”
The ECOWAS Commission has also condemned the coup d’Etat in Niger.
In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday the ECOWAS Commission said that it received the news of an attempted Coup d’Etat in Niger with shock and consternation.
ECOWAS said that it condemned in the strongest terms the attempt to seize power by force and called on the coup plotters to free the democratically elected President of the Republic immediately and without any condition.
“ECOWAS and the International Community will hold all those involved in the plot responsible for the security and safety of the President, his family, members of the government and the general public,” the statement added.
GIK/APA