A delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) arrived in Niger Republic on Thursday to meet with the leaders of the military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum from office. The delegation, led by former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has been tasked with presenting the demands of the ECOWAS leadership to the coup leaders.

President Bola Tinubu, the current ECOWAS Chairman, directed the delegates to take all necessary measures to reach a conclusive and amicable resolution of the situation in Niger. In response to the coup, ECOWAS leaders had given the military regime one week to reinstate the elected President Mohamed Bazoum, or face military invasion from the sub-regional bloc’s members.

President Tinubu also dispatched a second delegation, led by Babagana Kingibe, to engage with the leaders of Libya and Algeria, neighboring countries around Niger, seeking their support in resolving the crisis.

As a response to the coup, ECOWAS has imposed trade and financial sanctions on Niger, while Nigeria has cut electricity supply to the country. However, other neighboring countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, have warned that any military action in Niger would be considered a “declaration of war.”