Detained Soldiers: Jonathan Briefs Buhari On Mali, Cote D’Ivoire Face-off  

Nigeria is committed to promoting peace and harmony among ECOWAS countries, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The President spoke Wednesday at State House, Abuja, as he received updates from former Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, on the face-off between Mali and Cote D’Ivoire over detained Ivorian soldiers by Mali.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, Dr Jonathan is the ECOWAS Special Envoy on the situation in Mali.

About 49 Ivorian soldiers are being detained in Mali for ‘unlawful entry,’ and only the three females in the team have been released, leaving 46. The development is threatening a rupture in the relationship between the two countries.

Cote D’Ivoire has condemned the act as ‘hostage taking,’ and said it may take action, hence the need for intervention of ECOWAS leaders, as advocated by the Special Envoy, former President Jonathan.

President Buhari pledged an initiative from Nigeria, towards immediate resolution of the impasse.