President Bola Tinubu of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) believes diplomatic dialogue must be prioritised in order to address the problem in Niger Republic.
The regional group, according to the Nigerian President, must engage the coup leaders in the adjacent country in order to restore President Mohamed Bazoum.
Tinubu addressed the ECOWAS second special session on the situation in Niger Republic on Thursday in Abuja.
“By remaining steadfast in our adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, we can restore peace, stability, and prosperity in the Republic of Niger, thereby fostering an environment conducive to growth and development for all,” he said.
After Tinubu’s remarks, the meeting entered a closed-door session.
Important decisions are expected from today’s gathering in Abuja.
Struggling to stem a cascade of coups among its members since 2020, the bloc gave the troops who seized power on July 26 until last Sunday to reinstate 63-year-old Bazoum or face the potential use of force.
Nigeria has also cut off electricity supply to Nigeria amid a flurry of economic sanctions including border closure.
But the coup leaders remained defiant and the deadline passed without action.