Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed the return of a delegation of Islamic leaders ( aka Ulama) to Niger Republic for one more round of discussion with the coup leaders.
Tinubu had made the decision on Thursday, August 24 after a meeting with the chief clerics led by Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi who had all recently been in Niamey, the Niger Republic capital, two weeks ago for talks with the junta. Two week ago, the emissaries had been led by General Abdourahamane Tiani.
Tinubu had made the decision as the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
Recall that ECOWAS had since enacted sanctions on the Republic of Niger in response to the coup and the West African body had not ruled out using intense force against the military junta.
The West African bloc had endorsed the deployment of a standby power, to restore the constitutional order in Niger as soon as possible but the body is nevertheless, still open to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
The ECOWAS envoy to Niger Republic led by former Nigerian Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, had upon their return from the embattled country, said that his delegation’s meeting with Niger Republic coup leaders last weekend was successful.
But this week, the African Union suspended Niger Republic over the ongoing situation.
The coup has increased the worries of foreign countries over the Sahel, which is facing ever increasing jihadist insurgencies tied to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Niger is the fourth country in West Africa since 2020 (after Butkina Faso, Guinea and Mali) to experience a coup.
Bazoum is at present, reportedly being held with his family at the president’s official residence since the military takeover and there is mounting international concern over his health condition while in detention.
