Our reporter/ The Niger military junta says the regime is ready for dialogue with ECOWAS and other international bodies to resolve the crisis that has engulfed the tiny West African country following the coup d’etat that ousted the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
General Abdourahmane Tchiani, leader of the junta, who shunned several peaceful overtures before now was quoted to have said doors were open to explore diplomacy and peace in resolving the matter.
He made the disclosure in a meeting with Islamic scholars led by Sheik Bala Lau, Chairman of Jam’atul Izalatu Bida Waikamatu Sunnah, in Niger’s capital on Saturday.
In a statement Sheik Lau issued after the meeting, he said his delegation and the coup leader deliberated on several issues including ECOWAS demand for the reinstatement of Bazoum.
Asked if the discussion for dialogue took place, Lau quoted Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine,the Prime Minister of Niger, who was appointed by the junta as saying, “Yes, for sure. That was exactly what the leader of our country told them, he did not say he was not open to dialogue.”
He also expressed optimism that talks with ECOWAS would take place in the next few days.
‘’We have agreed and the leader of our country has given the green light for dialogue. They will now go back and inform the Nigerian President what they have heard from us…. we hope in the coming days, they (ECOWAS) will come here to meet us to discuss how the sanctions imposed against us will be lifted,” he said.
Sheik Lau said the team had earlier told President Bola Tinubu who is also the Chairman of Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government that their position is that the political impasse in Niger be resolved through dialogue.
He said based on this, he told General Tchiani that the visit to Niger was to engage in constructive dialogue to encourage him and other military leaders behind the coup to toe the path of peace instead of war to resolve the crisis.
The Sheik said in his response, General Tchiani said their doors were open to explore diplomacy and peace in resolving the matter.
Also speaking peaking with journalists in Niamey after the meeting, another member of the intervention team and Chief Missioner of Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, Sheik Ahmad Abdulrahman, said contrary to reports in some sections of the media, the team was well received by General Tchiani and both parties had fruitful discussions.
“We will now go back home and report to President Tinubu what we have discussed and press it on him that war is not an option in resolving the matter.
“We believe that war is an ill wind that will not blow any good and that peaceful resolution should prevail,” Abdulrahman said.
Meanwhile, General Abdourahmane used the opportunity provided by the meeting to explain why they ignored the delegation led by Nigeria’s former military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd) in their efforts to restore the toppled government.
President Bola Tinubu had sent the high-powered team which included Abubakar and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, to end Niger’s crisis through dialogue but delegation, however, came back to Nigeria without meeting with leaders of the junta.
At the meeting, the junta told the Islamic Ulammas led by Sheik Bala Lau that the coup leaders were angry when the delegation led by Abubakar came because
ECOWAS leaders did not hear their side of the matter before issuing ultimatum to them to quit office.
They claimed the coup was well intended, stating that they struck to starve off an imminent threat that would have affected not only Niger Republic but also Nigeria.
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