A delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has arrived in Niger to have negotiations with the military officials who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum and seized control.
Former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar is in charge of the ECOWAS mission.
It was reported that Niger’s governing military council has also confirmed the arrival of ECOWAS representatives.
A day after the ECOWAS military commanders declared they were prepared to act to reinstate Bazoum, a plane carrying the delegation touched down in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
It was gathered that ECOWAS had agreed to activate a “standby force” as a last resort to restore democracy in Niger after generals toppled and detained Bazoum.
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However, the West African bloc says it favours dialogue to defuse the crisis.
Meanwhile, a source close to the latest delegation said it would send “a message of firmness” to the army officers and meet Bazoum.
“We are ready to go any time the order is given,” Abdel-Fatau Musah, an ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs and security, said on Friday after the military chiefs’ meeting.
