Junta controlled Niger Republic has suspended ties with Nigeria after efforts by the regional bloc—ECOWAS to resolve the ongoing face-off collapsed.
ECOWAS had issued a seven-day ultimatum for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum to avoid possible military action in the country.
President Bola Tinubu sent a high-powered delegation to the country to meet with the coup leaders and fashion out lasting solution to the political tension in the former French colony.
The ECOWAS delegation arrived in the capital Niamey on Thursday “but did not spend the night” as scheduled, nor meet with coup leader Abdourahamane Tiani or deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, the team member said.
The delegation was led by former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar and was initially due to meet Tiani to present ECOWAS’s demands, according to the Nigerian presidency.
However, Niger has officially severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France, its coloniser, and the United States.
“The functions of the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors of the Republic of Niger” to France, Nigeria, Togo and the United States are terminated,” Radio France International quoted one of the putschists to have said on national television. Continue Reading…
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