West African states have sent an ultimatum to the military junta that overthrew the democratically elected government in Niger last week: hand the country back to civilian rule or face potential military action.

Representatives of 11 African countries, including eight heads of state, held an emergency summit in Abuja on Sunday under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

They issued a blistering communique upholding the principle of zero tolerance of military coups as enshrined in the regional organisation’s protocols as well as of the African Union.

Ecowas called for “the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum as President and Head of State of the Republic of Niger, and for the full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger”.

The communique described the detention of Bazoum, his family and other government officials by the Presidential Guard, which overthrew him on Wednesday, as a “hostage situation” — and warned that the coup leaders would be held responsible if anything happened to him, his family or other government members.

The head of the Presidential Guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani, who instigated the coup after Bazoum attempted to fire him, was declared the new head of state on Friday.

Ecowas has been criticised in the past for its weak responses to the series of coups, seven so far, that began in 2020. Many believe that the failure to draw a red line and enforce the protocols of Ecowas and the African Union encouraged further coups.

The organisation has been invigorated by its new chairman, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who presented a memorandum to the summit stating his determination to defeat the coup plotters.

President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu (C) walks after a group photo during the closing ceremony of the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms being held at the United Nations (UN) offices in Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya, 16 July 2023. EPA-EFE/DANIEL IRUNGU

Apart from Tinubu, the heads of state at the summit included Patrice Talon (Benin), Alassane Ouattara (Ivory Coast), Adama Barrow (Gambia), Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana), Piccolo Embalo (Guinea Bissau), Macky Sall (Senegal) and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo).

‘All measures necessary’

The communique — which referred to the “attempted coup” — said that if the demands for a restoration of the constitutional order were not met within one week, it would take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force.

Ecowas military chiefs are to meet immediately while all borders between Ecowas and Niger have been closed and a no-fly zone is being instituted for all commercial air flights.

As they were meeting, there were reports of thousands of supporters of the coup demonstrating in the streets of Niamey, the capital, attacking the French embassy, waving Russian flags and chanting the name of Vladimir Putin.

Social media has been awash with anti-French and anti-Western triumphalism, declaring the coup a great victory against colonialism.

Ecowas, however, condemned the support for the coup from fellow military leaders and “foreign private military contractors”, a pointed reference to the Wagner Russian mercenaries.

Ecowas noted widespread global condemnation of the “attempted coup” had come from the African Union, the UN, the EU, the US, China, Russia, Francophone Africa, the Commonwealth and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

France, the former colonial power, is cutting all development aid to the country. The US has also threatened to withhold aid to Niger and Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered “unflagging support” to Bazoum and said Washington would “work to restore constitutional order in the country”.

Other measures introduced by Ecowas include the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Ecowas members and Niger; the freezing of all service transactions including utility services; the freezing of assets of the Republic of Niger in Ecowas central banks and commercial banks; a travel ban and asset freeze for all military officials involved in the “coup attempt” and civilians who choose to participate in the military government.

The ministers of foreign affairs of Cape Verde and Liberia were also in attendance as was the High Commissioner of Sierra Leone in Nigeria. DM