Niger: ECOWAS Defence Chiefs Meet, Nigeria Cuts Power Supply

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said military action to restore ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum will be last resort if diplomacy fails.

The commissioner for Political Affairs, conflict and security, ECOWAS, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, stated this at the extraordinary meeting of the Committee of the Chiefs of Defense Staff (CCDS) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja.

LEADERSHIP reports that Chiefs of Defence Staff of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Guinea Bissau were absent at the meeting.

In attendance were chiefs of Defence from Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and Senegal.

He said the commission would do everything to ensure the “hostage situation” in Niger is reversed.

“They have given military leaders seven days to follow the directive of heads of state. After seven days, anything can happen,  nothing is off the table,” he stated.

He warned other African countries who are members of ECOWAS threatening to join Niger should military action be activated to steer clear, as they have ceded their sovereignty as members of the regional body.

“We are at an inflation point now; it seems like President Bola Tinubu is being challenged soon after his declaration. We have this coup and the need to demonstrate that we can go beyond backing and bite.

“ECOWAS is guided by rules, by protocols. In particular, protocol relating to the mechanism which was adopted in 1999 and in 2021, ECOWAS declared zero tolerance for power obtained or maintained by unconstitutional rule by heads of state

“We hear people saying ECOWAS is trying to encroach on the sovereignty of Niger and we want to assure all those people that once you enter as a member of an organisation in an international community and sign to peace and security Protocol document, you cede part of your sovereignty to the collective good.

“We want to reassure that once they were signatory to ECOWAS, that won’t be tolerated and we’ll do everything to ensure that the hostage situation in Niger is reversed.

“Unfortunately, the supplementary policy on democracy and good governance came into force under the chairmanship of ECOWAS under former President of Niger in Niger. It is ironic that this zero-tolerance will be broken by the same Niger”.

He said the incessant coup d’etat was making West African region a laughing stock across the globe, adding that Nigeria is a regional leader the region looks up to in order to reverse the trend.

He reiterated that before the last three years, all members of ECOWAS countries were led by democratically elected presidents.

Musah said eight coup d’etats, successful and unsuccessful, have happened in the region in the last three years.

“The region is confronted by existential threats which are mutually reinforcing. The first is an asymmetric environment characterized by terrorist incursion, refugee growths, poisoning of inter communal relations and that in some countries have led to the second existential threat, the retaining of military rule. In the past three years or so, about 8-9 successful/unsuccessful coups in West Africa

“We are not sure which country will be next. If we do not arrest this situation, West Africa is going to be a laughing stock of Africa and the world,” he warned.

He said those military leaders citing insecurity for the coup d’etat should rather take the blame because “they are to fight terrorists “.

On his part, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the events of July 26, 2023 in Niger Republic have reverberated across the West African borders, affecting all and sundry.

“The recent coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger is one event that calls for our collective attention and a united response. We must face the challenges of restoring democratic governance in Niger head-on, drawing on our shared experiences, wisdom, and collective resolve. Our decisions will have far-reaching implications for the ECOWAS region.

“ECOWAS’ strength lies in unity, shared values, and commitment to democracy, peace, and prosperity. In this regard, we are tasked with a mission to restore democracy in the Republic of Niger and preserve germane humanitarian principles across the region. Our decisions will inevitably shape the lives of millions of people around the sub-continent”.

Musa said the ECOWAS, since its establishment, has remained steadfast in its commitment to promoting economic cooperation and regional integration, adding that it has been resolute in its stand against any form of illegal takeover of power as enshrined in the 2001 Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has been reported to have cut power supply to some cities in Niger Republic because of the country’s coup last week.

The power is only on for roughly an hour at a period for residents of the cities of Niamey, Maradi, and Zinder before being shut off for up to five hours.

Power outages like these in Niger are uncommon. However, the nation is highly reliant on Nigeria as its primary source of electricity.

According to Nigelec, the electricity organisations of Niger, the power cuts are the result of Nigeria halting supply to its northern neighbour.

However, the Transmission Company of Nigeria has declined to comment on the power cuts in Niger.

But a BBC source said the supply to Niger was cut on Tuesday following a directive from Nigeria’s presidency.

Sanctions have been placed on Niger by the West African trading bloc, ECOWAS, as a result of the coup, but it is unclear if these measures cover electrical supplies.

The democratically elected president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, was deposed by his own presidential guards, who were stationed outside his palace last week.

Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, commander of the Presidential Guard, was appointed president while the constitution was suspended.

Meanwhile, the new military government has reopened the country’s land borders and airspace with five neighbouring countries, a spokesman for the junta announced on television on Tuesday evening.

The border crossings to Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Libya, and Chad were reopened, he said.

The junta also appointed new governors for the country’s eight regions.