The deadline set by West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS for Niger’s coup leaders to reinstate President Mahmoud Bazoum has now expired.
It is not clear if ECOWAS leaders will go to war with Niger in their bid to restore democracy in the country.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, who is the head of ECOWAS was on Saturday advised by his country’s Senate not to be confrontational in resolving the crisis.
Also, the Algerian president has disclosed that his country is against any military intervention in Niger.
PUNCH reports that tempers were said to have risen on Saturday as senators discussed the request made by President Bola Tinubu on the need to send troops to the Niger Republic to enforce the resolution of the Heads of States of the Economic Community of West African States for the junta that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum to restore him to power or face military action.
Senators were said to have been divided on whether to grant approval to the request or shut it down.
It was gathered that many senators from the North were not in support of the move as they argued that doing so would affect the peace of their area.
A source who was privy to the discussions among the senators, who met behind closed doors, said lawmakers from seven northern states, which share border with Niger Republic namely; Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno, vehemently rejected the move.
