Nigeria has called for the release of ousted Niger president Mohamed Bazoum and for the military junta to allow him to leave for a third country.
The country’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said that the country was willing to talk with the Nigerièn military junta on issues, including sanctions, only after it releases the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, who is currently under detention by the junta.
“We are asking them to release President Bazoum so that he will be allowed to leave Niger,” Tuggar said.
“He will no longer be in custody. He will go to a third country that is mutually agreed upon. And then we start talking about the removal of sanctions”, he added.
He said ECOWAS was still open to talks with Niger’s junta.
“You know, the opportunity is there. We are always ready, willing, and able to listen to them and the ball is in their court.”
ECOWAS leaders will meet in Nigeria’s capital Abuja on December 10 to discuss the region, where since 2020 coups have put military juntas in power in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger.
