ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff are set to convene in Ghana on Thursday and Friday to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger, according to regional military sources. This was confirmed by an ECOWAS source.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, August 12, the meeting was postponed, but a new date has been confirmed for the extraordinary gathering of chiefs of staff of ECOWAS member countries’ armies. The meeting will take place on August 17 and 18 in Accra, Ghana.
While several countries have expressed their readiness to send their military forces to Niger, such as Côte d’Ivoire, ECOWAS states that it wants to prioritize the “diplomatic route.” The idea of a military intervention is divisive, as political, religious, and civil society voices in northern Nigeria are raising concerns about potential serious consequences in their country and the already conflict-ridden Sahel region.
Threats of prosecution for “high treason” After declining several ECOWAS-mediated attempts, the military regime in Niger met with a delegation of Nigerian religious leaders on Saturday. Following the meeting, the prime minister appointed by the military, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, emphasized Niger’s “great interest” in maintaining an “important and historical” relationship with Nigeria and ECOWAS.
However, the regime’s stance has been inconsistent, now announcing its intention to “prosecute” the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, for “high treason.” This move, according to ECOWAS, “constitutes a new form of provocation and contradicts the alleged intention of the military authorities of the Republic of Niger to restore constitutional order through peaceful means.”
