The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have resolved to move into Niger Republic to flush out the putschists if they fail to release and reinstate the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum.
This was the outcome of the second extraordinary Summit of the Authority presided over by its Chairman, President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa, Abuja on Thursday.
The President of Cote d’Ivoire, Alassane Quattara, who disclosed this at the end of the summit, told journalists that action against Niger was not a Nigerian affair as ECOWAS had previously acted in cases where there have been interference with constitutional order among member states.
While noting that the subregional body had sent high-powered delegations to Niger, the military authorities have however continued to hold President Bazoum hostage, a situation he described as terrorism.
He asserted that ECOWAS will not accept coups as the place of the military is the barracks.
Quattara said if they do not allow Bazoum to exercise his mandate, “we will go ahead and push them out”.
He affirmed that this is the position that the ECOWAS has adopted
