The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has imposed fresh sanctions over the coup in Niger Republic.
President Bola Tinubu who leads the regional body announced this through his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tuesday.
Nigeria had, Wednesday, disconnected the supply of 150 megawatts of electricity daily to Niger Republic as part of the ECOWAS’ efforts to restore democracy there.
The ECOWAS had earlier given Nigerien military leaders seven days to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military action.
But the junta had called the bluff of the regional bloc and vowed to resist any foreign interference.
The military leaders had also severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France and the United States and shut down the Nigerien airspace indefinitely.
Following the expiration of the ultimatum, the ECOWAS had scheduled another meeting for tomorrow to review the situation in Niger.
Addressing State House correspondents yesterday, Tinubu’s spokesman said more sanctions had been imposed on the individuals and entities relating with the Niger’s junta.
He did not provide details of the fresh sanctions, but he said these were carried out through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Ngelale said: “I can also report that following the expiration of the deadline of the ultimatum and standing on the pre-existing consensus position of financial sanctions meted out on the military junta in Niger Republic by the bloc of ECOWAS Heads of State, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an additional slew of financial sanctions through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on entities and individuals related to or involved with the military junta in Niger Republic.
The ECOWAS mandate, and ultimatum is not a Nigerian ultimatum. It is not a Nigerian mandate and the office of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also serving as the chairman of ECOWAS, seeks to emphasise this point that, due to certain domestic and international media coverage, tending towards a personalisation of the ECOWAS sub regional position to his person and to our nation individually.
“It is because of this that Mr. President has deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum issued by ECOWAS is that of ECOWAS’s position. While His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assumed the ECOWAS chairmanship, the position of ECOWAS conveys the consensus position of member heads of state. And a coup will not occur in one’s backyard without one being particularly aware of it.
The president in recent days, particularly following the expiration of the ultimatum given by ECOWAS has widened consultations internationally, but most especially domestically, including interfaces with state governors in Nigeria who govern states bordering Niger Republic on the various fallouts and outcomes of the unfortunate situation that has unfolded in Niger Republic.
“But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wishes to emphasise to this distinguished audience that the response of ECOWAS to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations.
“The regional bloc is made up of all sub regional ethnic groups, religious groups, and all other forms of human diversity. And the response of ECOWAS, therefore, represents all of these groups, and not any of these groups individually.”
The presidential spokesman said tomorrow’s extraordinary summit of ECOWAS would come up with far-reaching decisions on the developments in Niger.
He noted that Tinubu, in his capacity as the chairman of ECOWAS, had said diplomacy is the best way forward and that he and his colleagues in the bloc preferred a resolution through peaceful and diplomatic means pending any resolution at the Thursday extraordinary summit.
Ngelale emphasised: “No option has been taken off the table.”
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