THE Economic Community Of West Africa States (ECOWAS) under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu has imposed fresh sanctions over the coup in Niger Republic.
The regional bloc had earlier given Niger junta seven days to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military action.
But the coupists called the bluff of ECOWAS and vowed to resist any foreign intervention on its soil.
It also severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France and US, and shut down Nigerien airspace indefinitely.
At the end of the ultimatum, the bloc scheduled a meeting for Thursday to review the situation in the West African nation.
Addressing State House correspondents on Tuesday, Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngeale, said more sanctions had been imposed on the individuals and entities relating with the military junta in Niger Republic.
Although he did not go into details, he said this was carried out through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“I can also report that following the expiration of the deadline of the ultimatum and standing on the preexisting consensus position of financial sanctions meted out on the military junta in Niger Republic by the bloc of ECOWAS Heads of State, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an additional sway of financial sanctions through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on entities and individuals related to or involved with the military junta in Niger Republic.”
“The ECOWAS mandate, and ultimatum is not a Nigerian ultimatum. It is not a Nigerian mandate and the office of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also serving as the chairman of ECOWAS seeks to emphasize this point. That due to certain domestic and international media coverage, tending toward a personalization of the ECOWAS sub regional position to his Person and to our nation individually.
“It is because of this that Mr. president has deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum by issued ECOWAS is that of ECOWAS’s position. While His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assumed the ECOWAS chairmanship, the position of ECOWAS conveys the consensus position of member heads of state. And a coup will not occur in one’s backyard, without one be particularly aware of it.
“The president in recent days, particularly following the expiration of the ultimatum given by ECOWAS has widened consultations internationally but most especially domestically, including interfaces with state governors in Nigeria, who govern states bordering Niger Republic on the various fallouts and outcomes of the unfortunate situation that has unfolded in Niger Republic.
“But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wishes to emphasize to this distinguished audience that the response of ECOWAS to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations.
“The regional bloc is made up of all sub regional ethnic groups, religious groups, and all other forms of human diversity. And the response of ECOWAS, therefore, represents all of these groups, and not any of these groups individually.”