West African leaders restate standby force for Niger as ‘last resort’
West Africa’s regional bloc Ecowas on Thursday ordered the activation of a standby force for possible use against the junta that that has taken power in Niger, saying it wanted a peaceful resolution but would consider military intervention “as a last resort”. RFI reports.InformationGuideNigeria
After emergency talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja, Ecowas pledged to enforce sanctions, travel bans and asset freezes on those preventing the return to power of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held by soldiers since 26 July.
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Live, Study and Work in Canada. No Payment is Required! Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to Canada“No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the bloc’s chair.
“I hope that through our collective effort we can bring about a peaceful resolution as a roadmap to restoring stability and democracy in Niger” he said. “All is not lost yet.”
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An official statement included a resolution asking the bloc’s defence chiefs to “activate the Ecowas Standby Force with all its elements immediately”.JAMB Portal
Another resolution spoke of ordering “the deployment of the Ecowas Standby Force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger”, immediately followed by another that spoke of restoring such order “through peaceful means”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced support for the bloc’s efforts.
“The United States appreciates the determination of Ecowas to explore all options for the peaceful resolution of the crisis,” he said on Thursday.JAMB Result
In a statement Blinken also said that the US would hold the junta accountable for the safety of Bazoum, his family, and detained members of the government.
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Live, Study and Work in Canada. No Payment is Required! Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to CanadaSeparately, there were reports that Niger’s junta had warned the US that they would kill Bazoum if other countries attempted any military intervention to restore him.NYSC Portal
Speaking anonymously, two Western officials told the Associated Press that representatives of the junta told US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum when she visited the country earlier this week.
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