Following a coup against President Mohamed Bazoum, troops from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have stated their willingness to join a standby force to intervene in Niger.
After the overthrow of the presidential guard, ECOWAS issued a seven-day deadline for the president’s restoration while threatening sanctions and possible military action.
The junta responded by pledging to oppose foreign intervention and threatening to assassinate President Bazoum.
At a meeting in Accra, Ghana, the 15-nation regional bloc’s defense chiefs decided to mobilize their standby force.
All members have pledged their allegiance to this force, with the exception of countries that are currently governed by the military and Cape Verde.
Al Jazeera received confirmation of this position from ECOWAS commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah.
General Christopher Gwabin Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, was further quoted by the media as saying, “Democracy is what we stand for and it’s what we encourage.”.
“The focus of our gathering is not simply to react to events, but to proactively chart a course that results in peace and promote stability.”
Burkina Faso and Mali, which have seen several coups since 2020, issued a warning that any military action in Niger would be deemed an act of war, exposing a rift in the region between its coastal nations and those in the unstable Sahel.
