Chief Of Defence Staff, Musa Visits Niger Republic Counterpart, Seeks Collaboration With Military Junta
SaharaReporters gathered that Musa was received by the Nigerien Defence Chief, General Mousa Salou Barmo.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has visited his Niger Republic counterpart to seek collaboration with the country’s military junta in tackling insecurity and other related matters.
SaharaReporters gathered that Musa was received by the Nigerien Defence Chief, General Mousa Salou Barmo.
This is despite the fact that the military junta in charge of the Niger Republic has refused to return the country to democratic government nor to rejoin the West African bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) since the bloodless coup in 2023 that led to military takeover of power in the country.
SaharaReporters had in March 2024 reported that Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.
The directive was in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit held on February 24, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions imposed against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea following military takeover of the countries and their subsequent decamp from ECOWAS.
President Tinubu directed immediate lifting of “Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.
“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic.
“Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.
“Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
“Travel bans on government officials and their family members.”
President Tinubu also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.
During its 24th session, ECOWAS said it was lifting sanctions it imposed on Niger to ameliorate the suffering of its people.
The regional bloc had imposed the sanctions after the military coup in July 2023 deposed the democratically elected government of Mohamed Bazoum.
