Ahead of the extra ordinary meeting of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) over the military coup in Niger Republic, several heads of states have arrived Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city for the meeting scheduled for today.
It was gathered that eleven out of the sixteen Heads of State and Government are currently in a closed-door session in Presidential Villa.
The leaders would be deliberating on developments in the 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 toppled administration of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
ECOWAS had threatened several sanctions including military actions against the military junta if they failed to vacate office and reinstate the embattled President.
Heads of State who have arrived the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, venue of the extraordinary meeting are the 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 include: 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
However, the presidents of Gambia and Liberia which are member-states being represented by their Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Conspicuously absent are the heads of state in the troubled Niger Republic, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso.