ECOMOG troops landing for operations
* Directs Cttee of Chief of Defence Staffs to activate ECOWAS standby Force
* Junta forms government
By Jon Egie
The West African leaders arrived at the resolution at their meeting in Abuja Thursday after reviewing happenings since Sunday when the one-week ultimatum issued to the junta lapsed.
After a well attended and deliberated meeting over the coup in the Republic of Niger that sacked it’s president, Mohammed Bazoum and suspended the country’s constitution, ECOWAS Heads of state have resolved to deploy troops, place boots on ground and dislodge the Niger junta that had stubbornly refused to yield to it’s demands of restoration of constituted authority.
The resolution was reached after reviewing happenings since Sunday when the one-week ultimatum issued to the junta lapsed.
In a Communique issued by the leaders and read by the President of ECOWAS, President Omar Touray, the leaders noted that “all diplomatic efforts made by ECOWAS, in resolving the crisis have been defiantly repelled by the military leadership of the Republic of Niger.”
They also took “note of the expiration of the one-week ultimatum given for the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”
As part of their decisions, the ECOWAS leaders directed “the Committee of the chief of defence staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.”
They also ordered “the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”
Niger junta have remained defiant and continued to hold on to power as they have formed a cabinet.
In a televised broadcast in Monday night, Mahamane Roufai Laouali, referred to as the secretary general of the government read out names of 21 ministers
Among the cabinet are three of the coup leaders who were named ministers of defence, interior and sports.
The government, which is about half the size of the previous one, will be headed by Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, who was named prime minister on Tuesday.
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