- The sub-regional body issued the threat on Thursday when the defence chiefs of member states met in Accra, Ghana
- The defence chiefs said they will not hesitate to invade Niger Republic, if all efforts to reverse the coup in the country fail
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, says it will have no choice than to resort to military intervention in the Niger Republic if the political impasse in the country can’t be addressed via dialogue and negotiations.
The sub-regional body issued the threat on Thursday when the defence chiefs of member states met in Accra, Ghana.
They met in the Ghanaian capital to strategise on the next line of action on Niger and discuss details of the standby force. The meeting continues today.
It will be recalled that ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had at its second extraordinary summit in Abuja last week, activated its standing force should the junta in Niger refuse to restore to power ousted president of the country, Mohamed Bazoum.
The defence chiefs said they will not hesitate to invade Niger Republic, if all efforts to reverse the coup in the country fail.
“Let no one be in doubt that if everything else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa…are ready to answer to the call of duty.
“By all means available, constitutional order will be restored in the country,” ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said.
He listed past ECOWAS deployments in Sierra Leone, Liberia and elsewhere as examples of readiness for military action.
Musah rejected the accusation that ECOWAS is being manipulated by France or any other outside power.
“What they forget is that ECOWAS is a rules-based organisation. We have our protocols, we have our norms and we are ready to protect them.
“That’s why the Heads of State are saying if push comes to shove, we are going into Niger with our own contingents, own equipment and our own resources to make sure we restore constitutional order. If other democracy-loving partners want to support us, they are welcome,” he said
Discussion about this post