A senior ECOWAS official has said all member states — except those under military rule and Cape Verde — are ready to participate in a standby force that could intervene in Niger in the wake of the junta’s takeover if diplomatic efforts fail.
Abdel-Fatau Musah, who is the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, made the comments during a meeting with army officials in Ghana today.
He accused the coup leaders, who deposed President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, of “playing cat-and-mouse” with the bloc by refusing to meet with envoys and making justifications for the takeover.
He listed past ECOWAS deployments in Gambia, Liberia, and elsewhere as examples of the bloc’s readiness.
“If push comes to shove, we are going into Niger with our own contingents, equipment, and resources to make sure we restore constitutional order,” Musah said.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
