Niger: Junta says ready to talk, decry ECOWAS ultimatum
The Nigerien junta that came to power on July 26, 2023, through a coup has chastised the Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, and their July 30, ultimatum.
Meeting in Niamey, with Nigeria’s top Islamic Clerics, popularly known as Ulama, the military regime said they were ready for negotiation with ECOWAS.
The Ulama are said to have been given the greenlights by ECOWAS and Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tnubu, to discuss with the new regime.
The Niger Junta had rejected a delegation from ECOWAS, AU, and UN, reminding them that the borders they closed had not been reopened.
We came here to discuss and know what happened because we were in Nigeria with our president Tinubu who spoke with us and we told him not to do something bad, he should exercise patience…We were well received, we discussed well and all that they said, we will explain to Tinubu all that transpired. With dialogue, everything will go well. Niger and Nigeria are brothers, we cannot fight against each other, we need to discuss and maintain peace.
A member of Nigeria’s Ulama delagation declared in Niger.
The new Prime Minister, Ali, told the press, “It was an important meeting that aims at bringing the two countries together. they passed the message from the Nigerian president to the Niger president, who also sent another message to their president and explain to him all they want to see in the next days; the reopening of the border and lifting of all sanctions against Niger which are inhuman and in contradiction with the regional bloc’s policies”
The junta has stated that they are in for dialogue to come out of the impasse but warned that they will not be subjected to bullying from ECOWAS.
Also read: Niger: ECOWAS forces told to prepare for takeover – Cameroon News Agency
