West African bloc “quietly” removes its military against Niger—media

As member states chose not to engage in military action, ECOWAS made its decision, according to RFI, which cited a diplomatic source.

As per the French news station RFI, the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which had threatened to use force against Niger following a recent coup, is currently discreetly disbanding the reserve forces that were arranged for a potential military intervention.

This week, in Sokoto State, Nigeria, the military commanders of the Economic Community of West African States were to convene. But it was apparently postponed because of organisational problems. The military officers did not travel to Sokoto; instead, they arrived in Abuja, the capital of the most populous country in Africa and the regional bloc’s headquarters, according to a Friday RFI report.

Although the demobilisation order was not going to be given during the meeting, an insider told the French network that ECOWAS will now withdraw the standby troops in a “very discreet” manner.

The source went on to say that ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) had two choices: either “turn around” or “say nothing and let it be seen.”

According to a diplomat from one of the 15 ECOWAS member states, “no one is opting for military intervention anymore,” which is why the decision was taken.

The bloc declared in August that, should diplomatic attempts to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted on July 26, fail, it would send troops into Niger on that day. An earlier ultimatum from the regional government to the new military overlords of Niamey had expired with Bazoum still in detention.

Nigeria, Benin, and the Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire), Niger’s neighbours, had already stated that they would be willing to send soldiers to support the bloc’s military effort to reestablish democratic rule in Niger.

Nonetheless, it is reported that the nations that sent troops for the operation freed them and gave them scheduled bonuses. According to the article, Beninese soldiers who were stationed on the northern border with Nigerien after the July power grab—which the US called a coup this month—have returned to their barracks.

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The coup authorities in Niger declared last month that they were ending their military collaboration with Benin, citing their neighbour in West Africa as justification for an impending attack across their borders. The Beninese government, according to the military authorities, had approved the deployment of soldiers and military hardware to support a “aggression desired by France” and ECOWAS against Niger.

Paris, which was compelled to sever its connections with the recently elected Nigerien government, had stated that it supported the military action by the ECOWAS against the organisers of the coup, but it refuted reports that it intended to invade its former colony in order to liberate the Bazoum.

The military regimes in Burkina Faso and Mali have issued strong warnings against military participation in Niger, citing it as an act of aggression against their own nations.

The three ex-French colonies united militarily in September, promising to support one another individually or jointly in the case of external assault or internal challenges to their sovereignty.