ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the military leaders in Niger after the bloodless coup on July 26 where the junta toppled the Mohamed Bazoum democratic government.
The Niger Republic junta has announced that it would cut off its military pact with the neighbouring Benin Republic over an allegation that Benin Republic authorised the deployment of troops on its territory for a possible military intervention against Niger by the West African regional bloc – the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Recall that the ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the military leaders in Niger after the bloodless coup on July 26 where the junta toppled the Mohamed Bazoum democratic government.
However, ECOWAS, led by President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, has said that if diplomatic efforts fail, it is ready to use military force against the junta in Niger as a last resort to restore constitutional order in the country.
But the junta who have remained adamant to the ECOWAS’ diplomatic approaches, in a statement read on national television on Tuesday said that Benin had “authorised the deployment of soldiers, mercenaries, and war materials” in the context of the possible ECOWAS intervention, Reuters reports.
As a result, the new Nigerien authorities “decide to renounce the military cooperation agreement (with Benin),” it said.
But there was no immediate response from Benin, and ECOWAS has not shared any details about possible deployments, while Niger last week said talks with the bloc continued.
President Tinubu has reportedly suggested that a nine-month transition back to civilian rule could satisfy regional powers but Niger’s junta previously proposed a three-year timeline which ECOWAS rejected.