The West African nations have granted approval for a prompt armed intervention in Niger, as revealed by the President of Ivory Coast following a convened meeting to address the recent coup.

During the gathering, leaders representing the Ecowas regional bloc announced their consensus on the formation of a standby military force.

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria emphasized that the employment of force would be considered only as a final recourse, the BBC has reported.

Niger experienced a military takeover on July 26, resulting in a junta taking control. Expressing concerns for the well-being of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held under house arrest for over two weeks, both the United States and the United Nations have voiced their apprehension.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres conveyed his unease regarding the reportedly adverse living conditions endured by Mr. Bazoum and his family.

Following the Ecowas conference, Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara underscored that Ecowas had previously intervened in African nations to reinstate constitutional order.

He expressed the view that a comparable situation has arisen in Niger, asserting that Ecowas cannot tolerate such circumstances.

President Ouattara disclosed that Ivory Coast would contribute a battalion consisting of 850 to 1,100 personnel, alongside soldiers dispatched from Nigeria and Benin.

Omar Touray, the President of the Ecowas group, declared that the members had collectively decided to mobilize the Ecowas standby force with the objective of restoring constitutional order in Niger.

However, he refrained from disclosing additional details about the composition or actions of the force they intend to assemble, as reported by the BBC.

Ahead of the meeting, Muslim clerics from northern Nigeria, sharing an extensive border with Niger, had appealed to President Tinubu of Nigeria, urging him to exercise caution and restraint in any potential employment of force to remove the coup leaders.

Written by staff