A delegation from the West African bloc ECOWAS headed by former Nigerian leader Abdulsalami Abubakar arrived in Niger on Saturday for talks with the military officers who have seized power.
The delegation, including the Abubakar and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Abubaka landed in the capital Niamey at around 1:00 pm (1200 GMT), a day after the bloc’s military chiefs said they were ready to intervene to reinstate Bazoum.
Their arrival comes after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed to activate a “standby force” as a last resort to restore democracy in Niger after generals toppled and detained Bazoum on July 26.
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But it says it favours dialogue to defuse the crisis.
ECOWAS defence chiefs met this week in the Ghanaian capital Accra to fine-tune details of a potential military operation to restore Bazoum if ongoing negotiations with coup leaders fail.
“We are ready to go any time the order is given,” Abdel-Fatau Musah, an ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs and security, said on Friday after the military chiefs’ meeting.
GOOD EVENING NIGERIA reports that this is the second time Abubakar would lead ECOWAS delegation to Niger. He earlier this month tried but failed to meet Bazoum and the coup leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani.
See the photos of their arrival below:
