US Urges ECOWAS to pile more pressure on Niger junta

Yesterday, more people spoke out in favour of ECOWAS’s response to the military coup in Niger Republic so far.

The U.S. government has urged the sub-regional body led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to keep the gas pedal firmly on the floor.

Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, a former minister of external affairs, has backed the efforts of ECOWAS to restore democracy in Nigeria’s northern neighbour.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s spokesman, Matthew Miller, issued a statement in which Blinken called for increased pressure to be applied to secure President Mohamed Bazoum’s release.

Since the military overthrew him on July 26, Bazoum has been detained in his Niamey mansion, the Presidential Palace.

The military has declared a state of emergency and installed a transitional government of 21 members.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with President Bola Tinubu today, according to the statement.

“The Secretary praised President Tinubu for chairing the Second Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to address the crisis in the Republic of Niger.

In order to restore constitutional order and secure the release of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family, he stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.

The junta yesterday announced plans to prosecute President Bazoum for alleged high treason and undermining national security, prompting ECOWAS to impose a series of economic sanctions.

Late on Sunday, the leaders of the coup announced that they had collected enough evidence to bring charges against Bazoum for “high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger.”

They claimed that Bazoum’s “contacts” with “nationals,” “foreign heads of state,” and “officials in international organisations” supported this.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) expressed “stupefaction” at learning of the threats and said they ran counter to the regime’s stated desire to peacefully resolve the crisis.

“It represents yet another form of provocation and contradicts the reported willingness of the military authorities in the Republic of Niger to restore constitutional order through peaceful means,” the coalition said.

The international community is increasingly worried about the conditions under which Bazoum, 63, and his family have been detained at the presidential residence since the coup.

Despite being held in “difficult” conditions, Bazoum’s doctor reported that he was in “good spirits” after a visit.

The growing international calls for his release led to the approval of his visit on Saturday.

Detention conditions were deemed to be inhumane, degrading, and in violation of international human rights law by UN human rights chief Volker Turk.

General Abdourahmane Tchiani, commander of Niger’s presidential guards, staged a palace coup and proclaimed himself the country’s new leader.

ECOWAS has put its troops on standby and threatened military action to stop the coup.

The coup leaders have vowed to fight back against any outside interference.

Tchiani said he was willing to talk to the junta, and a delegation of influential Nigerian Muslim clerics met with them in Niamey to try to mediate an end to the crisis.

The new prime minister of Niger, Lamine Zeine, has called the sanctions a “unfair challenge,” but he has expressed confidence that his country will succeed despite them.

Zeine, who was appointed by the junta a week ago, has stated that Niger is eager to work with ECOWAS on economic matters.

He was optimistic that the regional body and Nigeria could come to an agreement.

According to Zeine, “We have a great interest in preserving this important and historic relationship,” referring to the origins of ECOWAS as an economic group to boost prosperity in West Africa.

“However, if we find that the political and military principle comes to the fore instead of this economic solidarity, we can only regret that.”