The military regime in Niger has said it is open to resolving the crisis through diplomatic channels, the head of a delegation of Nigerian clerics reported on Sunday, the day after his visit to Niamey.
General Abdourahamane Tiani “declared that his door was open to explore the path of diplomacy and peace in order to resolve” the crisis, said in a press release Sheikh Bala Lau at the head of this mediation mission carried out with the agreement from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is also the current Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States.
The latter was conducted with the agreement of the President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu (also current President of the Economic Community of West African States) who had met with these religious leaders earlier in the week.
Also according to this press release, General Tiani, during their meeting, “also apologized for not having given the necessary attention to the team sent by President Tinubu and led by the former Head of State, the General Abdulsalami Abubakar”.
On August 3, an ECOWAS delegation led by General Abubakar landed in Niamey, but left after only a few hours without being able to meet the country’s new strongman, General Tiani.
Last Tuesday, another delegation, this time made up of envoys from ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and the UN, was unable to travel to Niamey, the regime citing security reasons.
According to the religious mediation statement, General Tiani said it was “painful” for the perpetrators of the coup that the ECOWAS leaders “did not hear their version of the facts before issuing them an ultimatum”.
On July 30, four days after the coup, ECOWAS leaders decided to financially sanction Niger and gave the military a seven-day ultimatum to restore constitutional order, threatening a possible use of force. as a last resort.
Last Thursday, at a new summit, the leaders reaffirmed their preference for diplomatic means to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to office, while ordering the mobilization and deployment of the ECOWAS “standby force”.
According to General Tiani, quoted in the religious mediation statement, the military overthrew President Bazoum “due to an imminent threat which would have affected not only the Republic of Niger, but also Nigeria”.
Two days after the coup, General Tiani had justified the action of the army by “the security deterioration” in the country undermined by the violence of jihadist groups.
According to the press release from the religious mediation, the latter must meet President Bola Tinubu to report to him the content of their discussion.