One of west Africa's most influential leaders insisted on Wednesday that military intervention in Niger remains an option as part of a strategy to force coup leaders to hand back power to the democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian president, who also chairs the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), still believes diplomacy is the best way forward to resolve the crisis, according to his spokesman.
"No options have been taken off of the table," Tinubu's spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said.
Bazoum was deposed on 26 July when forces led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani seized power and confined him to the presidential palace in Niamey.
The junta has defied calls Ecowas as well as an array of other governments to restore Bazoum.
On Thursday in Abuja, Ecowas will meet to thrash out its next move including whether to pursue its threat to send troops into Niger.
Response
Ecowas imposed trade and financial sanctions on Niger after the coup and issued a seven-day ultimatum to reinstate Bazoum. The soldiers who seized power closed Niger's airspace hours after a huge rally was staged in support of their actions.
They also blocked an Ecowas delegation to Niamey on Tuesday claiming that they could not assure the mission's safety due to public anger over the sanctions.
On Wednesday, Aïchatou Boulama Kané, Niger's ambasador to France, told the French news agency AFP that her son, Idrissa, had been detained
Kané, the general manager of Niger’s Post Office, is involved in a case of alleged misappropriation of public funds.
It is unclear whether he was taken into custody by Niger’s anti-corruption body, Halcia, or whether the military leaders were atttempting to increase pressure on the ambassador.
Last week, Niger's ambassadors to France, the United States, Nigeria and Togo were told that their roles had been terminated.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed on Monday the need for the international community to find a diplomatic route out of the coup.
"Diplomacy is certainly the preferred way of resolving this situation," he told RFI.
"It is Ecowas' current approach. It is our approach."
Niger's neighbours have rejected the possibility of a regional military intervention.
Mali said it and Burkina Faso – which have both been suspended from Ecowas over their own military coups – sent a joint official delegation to Niamey to show solidarity with the people of Niger.
They have said military intervention would be tantamount to a declaration of war.
Algeria, which shares a long land border with Niger, has also cautioned against a military solution, which President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said would be a direct threat to his country.
(with AFP)
