The leader of the Niger Junta, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has signaled a willingness to engage in diplomatic discussions to resolve the ongoing political deadlock in the country. General Tchiani conveyed this stance during a meeting on Saturday with a Nigerian intervention team consisting of Islamic scholars, led by Bala Lau, the national chairman of Jamatul Izalatu Bida Waikamatu Sunnah.
In a statement released on Sunday, Bala Lau explained that their visit aimed to encourage the junta to embrace dialogue as a means of resolving the crisis rather than resorting to armed conflict. In response, General Tchiani expressed the junta’s openness to exploring diplomatic avenues to achieve peace and resolution.
General Tchiani expressed his dissatisfaction with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for imposing ultimatums without hearing the junta’s perspective. Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Ali Zeine, indicated that General Tchiani was ready for dialogue and hoped that discussions with ECOWAS representatives would take place in the coming days.
The political situation in Niger Republic has been tumultuous since President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup d’état by the presidential guard last month. ECOWAS responded by enacting sanctions and issuing a deadline for the military junta to step down within a week or face potential military intervention. The deadline passed on August 6 without a change in the situation, prompting West African leaders to consider deploying a regional standby force to restore democracy as a last resort. ECOWAS leaders have emphasized their preference for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.