ECOWAS has stated its preparedness to intervene militarily in Niger to restore democratic government.
According to the West African body, it will use all available tools to maintain constitutional order in Niger.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of an ongoing conference of sub-regional security chiefs, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, said the coup leaders have refused to reason with ECOWAS.
“The mission was on the way from the airport when we were informed that they were not ready to see us. But since the decision by the ECOWAS authority, they have been pretending that they are ready for talks. But even as they are saying they are ready for talks, they are seeking reasons to justify an unjustifiable coup d’etat. They have charged the legitimate president of the country with high treason.
“As the Junta goes along, they now find reason to justify why they staged the coup. The irony of it is that somebody who is in a hostile situation, his wife, his child and members of his cabinet, are all being held hostage is still being charged with high treason.”
The security chiefs are from eleven countries.
They are meeting at Burma Camp in Accra to draw up a deployment plan to Niger
He added that “People are asking us where we are going to get the resources. So ECOWAS is being guided by the West, it is being guided by France, but what they forget is that ECOWAS is a rule-based organization. We have our protocols, we have our norms, and we are ready to protect. That is what the heads of state are saying.
“If push comes to shove, we are going into Niger with our contingent owned equipment. We are going with our own resources and to make sure that we restore constitutional order. If other democracy-loving partners want to support us, they are welcome but we are not going to beg,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
