Niger Coup: West Africa defence chiefs to meet in Nigeria today

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Defence chiefs from West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, will meet today, Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria, to deliberate the recent coup in the Republic of Niger, the bloc said in a statement on Tuesday, NAN reports.

Recall that leaders of the Economic Community of West African States had on Sunday placed sanctions on Niger and warned they may use force on the junta.

They gave the junta a week to reinstate President Bazoum, who is being held captive.

Earlier, the junta cautioned it would resist any “plan of aggression against Niger” by Western or regional powers.

A statement issued after the Sunday summit in Nigeria said that ECOWAS had “zero tolerance” for coups.

The regional bloc said it would “take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order” if its demands weren’t met within seven days.

“Such measures may include the use of force,” and military chiefs are to meet “immediately” to plan for an intervention, the statement added.