ECOWAS HOLDS EMERGENCY SUMMIT AS NIGER JUNTA ANNOUNCES NEW GOVT.

Leaders from the Economic Community of West African States are currently holding an emergency summit on the coup in Niger after the country’s military chiefs defied an ultimatum to restore the elected president last Sunday.

The summit comes as Niger’s coup leaders earlier today announced 21 member cabinet.

Two weeks after the coup that saw Mohamed Bazoum overthrown, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is seeking a diplomatic solution to ensure the restoration of democratic order in the country.

It is expected that important decisions will be reached at the gathering in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

Struggling to stem a cascade of coups among its members since 2020, the subregional bloc gave the troops who seized power on July 26 until last Sunday to reinstate Bazoum or face the potential use of force. However, the coup leaders remained resistant.

Those present at the special meeting as at the time of filing this report include Presidents Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau, Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana, Macky Sall of Senegal and Patrice Talon of Benin Republic among others.