The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the activation of its standby military troops to restore constitutional order in the Niger Republic.
The decision of the West African heads of state was announced at the emergency summit held in Nigeria’s Abuja on Thursday, August 10, 2023.
The Thursday meeting discussed responses to the July 26 military takeover in Niger after the coup leaders defied their earlier threat to use force to restore democracy.
The bloc pledged to enforce sanctions and travel bans on those preventing the return to power of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
The ECOWAS chair, Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria, said in his closing remarks that “No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.”
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Niger in its journey towards peaceful democratic stability,” he said.
“I hope that through our collective effort we can bring about a peaceful resolution as a roadmap to restoring stability and democracy in Niger. All is not lost yet.”
