Sanctions imposed on Niger coup leaders

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, a regional group of 15 countries, on Sunday agreed to impose sanctions on Niger's military leaders involved in a recent coup.

At an emergency meeting, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, also chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, denounced the coup, saying the regional bloc "rejects coup and interruption to constitutional order".

The regional bloc said in a statement military leaders in Niger must cede power in a week and immediately release and reinstate the country's elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, or ECOWAS will take all necessary measures to restore constitutional order in Niger, including the use of force.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has volunteered to speak to the military leaders in Niger and report back to Tinubu, two Nigerian presidency sources said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

"The President of Chad, at the bilateral meeting, volunteered to go and talk to the junta in Niger and report back," a presidency source said.

ECOWAS leaders agreed to impose financial and travel sanctions on Niger's military leaders involved in the coup, and also a no-fly zone over the country. They also decided to freeze Niger's assets in the central and commercial banks of the ECOWAS countries.

The United Nations Security Council on Friday strongly condemned the military coup.

The Kremlin said on Monday that the situation in Niger was "cause for serious concern".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia called for all sides in Niger to show restraint, and for the fastest possible return to legal order.

Niger's Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou told broadcaster France24 on Sunday that sanctions were "going to be a disaster" both economically and socially.

Bazoum's PNDS party called for demonstrations to be held to demand the release of the president.

Niger's Defense and Security Forces said on Wednesday that soldiers in the country had overthrown Bazoum, hours after the president was allegedly held hostage.

Two days later, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, former leader of Niger's presidential guard, was named "president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland".

Xinhua - Agencies