Niger Republic coup leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has agreed to dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following a meeting with influential Islamic scholars led by the national leader of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, on Saturday.
According to Niger Republic’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, General Tchiani gave the green light for talks with ECOWAS and was optimistic the talks with ECOWAS would take place in the next few days.
“We have agreed and the leader of our country has given the green light for dialogue. They will now go back and inform the Nigerian President what they have heard from us….we hope in the coming days, they (ECOWAS) will come here to meet us to discuss how the sanctions imposed against us will be lifted,’’ he said.
Since last month when the military ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, the Junta headed by General Abdourahamane Tianihave rebuffed diplomatic efforts by West Africa’s regional bloc, the United States and others raising the specter of further conflict in the region.
Also, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau told journalists that they were in Niger on a ”reconciliation mission.” He said they told the junta leader that dialogue was important to resolve the crisis.
The regional bloc had imposed sanctions on Niger including cutting off power supply, the closure of land and air borders, activation of a standby force to restore constitutional order, travel bans and asset freezes on those preventing the return to power.
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