APA-Niamey (Niger) – The chiefs of staff of member countries of the regional bloc have been meeting in Accra, Ghana on Saturday to discuss the deployment of a standby force to reverse last month’s coup in Niger and restore constitutional order.
With this summit the imminence of a possible military intervention of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niger is becoming clearer.
APA learned from media sources on Friday that the chiefs of staff of the sub-regional organization will meet on Saturday, in Accra, Ghana.
To justify the meeting, a senior officer in a West African army told RFI that they are simply following a “clear instruction” from the highest authorities to “activate and deploy the regional force without delay.”
According to the French media outlet, citing a well-informed source, the Chief of Staff of the Beninese army traveled to Abidjan on Friday, August 11, “to discuss the pre-positioning” of troops to intervene in Niamey.
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara confirmed in Abuja that his country’s army would contribute a battalion in the standby force with an envisaged troop strength of 25,000.
In addition to Ivorian soldiers, the force will include troops from Nigeria, Benin and Senegal.
The majority of the troops will be Nigerian.
Although they are not participating in the march on Niamey, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone have expressed their backing for the force, our confreres reported, citing a participant in the extraordinary summit of ECOWAS leaders held in Abuja on August 10.
On July 26, a group of army officers deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has since been confined to his residence in Niamey.
The junta, led by the former commander of the presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, appointed a government in defiance of the international community.
ARD/ac/lb/as/APA