Iran Press/ Africa: Iran Press learns that the seats allocated to Guinea Bissau, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso military chiefs remained vacant during the meeting. The military chiefs who were present during the three days ECOWAS defense meeting starting from Wednesday morning to Friday in Abuja include Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Cote’Divoire, Cabo Verde and the Republic of Benin.
The meeting is being chaired by Nigeria's Chief of Defense, Major General Christopher Musa. The military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso on Tuesday promised to defend Niger, saying any military intervention against Niamey would be considered as a declaration of war against their nations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, said the regional bloc's military chiefs were committed to restoring democratic rule in Niger Republic irrespective of the challenge ahead.
“The events that transpired in one of our countries on 26 July 2023 have reverberated across our borders, affecting us all. 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”, he said.
General Musa added that “the strength of ECOWAS 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,” he said.
The military meeting will continue to Friday and the outcome is expected to be submitted to the Chairman of ECOWAS, Bola Ahmad Tinubu of Nigeria. It is unknown whether Niger military leaders will hand over power to the civilians as demanded by the ECOWAS before the seven-day ultimatum nor whether their African neighbors will conduct military actions against them.
The ECOWAS' chiefs of defense meeting will round up on Friday. Many citizens of Nigeria have an opinion that the country should not involve in any kind of war with Niger; instead, Bola Ahmad Tinubu's administration should concentrate on fighting against terrorists, armed bandits and kidnappers who are killing the Country's people on a daily basis.
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