Troops of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have signaled their willingness to join a standby force to intervene in Niger following a coup that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
Following the coup by the presidential guard, ECOWAS issued a seven-day ultimatum for the restoration of the president, threatening sanctions and even military intervention.
In response, the junta pledged to repel outside involvement and threatened to assassinate President Bazoum.
Defence Chiefs from the 15-member regional bloc met in Accra, Ghana, and resolved to activate their standby force.
Except for nations currently under military administration and Cape Verde, all members have committed to this force.
Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS commissioner, reaffirmed this attitude to Al Jazeera.
According to the media, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, remarked, “Democracy is what we stand for and it’s what we encourage.”
“The focus of our gathering is not simply to react to events, but to proactively chart a course that results in peace and promote stability.”
Burkina Faso and Mali, who have experienced several coups since 2020, have warned that any military action in Niger would be labeled an act of war, showing a schism in the region between its coastline and fragile Sahel countries.
