Eleven out of the 16 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Governments have arrived in Abuja for an extraordinary meeting over the military coup in Niger Republic.
The heads of state and government will be deliberating on developments in neighbouring Niger Republic, particularly on the next line of actions that will follow up on the resolutions and ultimatum issued to the Nigerien junta, which recently sacked the administration of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, will proceed to a closed-door session.
The leaders attending the meeting being held at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, include ECOWAS Chairman and President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu; President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone; President Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea Bissau, and President Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.
Others are President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, President Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo. The Gambia and Liberia are member-states being represented by their Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
Those absent are the heads of state in the troubled Niger Republic, Mali, Chad, and Burkina Faso.