U.S. presses ECOWAS to pile more pressure on Niger junta

More support came yesterday for the actions taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) so far on the military coup in Niger Republic.

The United States urged the sub-regional body led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not to put its foot off the pedal.

Former External Affairs minister Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi endorsed the steps being taken by ECOWAS to restore democracy to Nigeria’s Northern neighbour.

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in a statement by his spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said more pressure should be applied to ensure the release of President Mohamed Bazoum.

Bazoum has been held in his Presidential Palace residence in Niamey since he was ousted by the military on July 26.

The military suspended the constitution and appointed a 21-member transitional government.The statement says: “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with President Bola Tinubu.“The Secretary commended President Tinubu’s leadership of the ECOWAS Second Extraordinary Summit on the situation in the Republic of Niger.

ECOWAS has imposed a series of economic sanctions on the junta, which yesterday announced plans to prosecute President Bazoum for alleged high treason and undermining national security.

The coup leaders said late Sunday they had gathered evidence enabling them to prosecute Bazoum for “high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger.”