West African leaders reach coup-hit Niger amid rising show of support for junta by locals

Amid rising show of support by the locals in Niger's capital Niamey for the military junta that took over the country last month, a delegation from the West African ECOWAS bloc arrived in Niger on Saturday, August 19.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed to find a peaceful solution rather than a military one despite posturing to the contrary the same day and the day before.

Led by former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar, the delegation arrived in the capital early afternoon, a day after ECOWAS military chiefs expressed their readiness to intervene and reinstate the ousted president.

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The ECOWAShas agreed to activate a "standby force" as a final measure to restore democracy in Niger following the detention of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

However, the organisation said it prefers for dialogue to resolve the crisis.

Shortly after the coup at the end of July, an earlier ECOWAS delegation, led by Abubakarattempted unsuccessfully to meet both the ousted President Bazoum and the coup leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani.

According to a source cited by the AFP, the ECOWASintends to convey a strong message to the army officers and meet with Bazoum, who has been held with his family at the president's official residence since the coup.

ECOWAS Chair and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu issued a warning to Niamey on Friday, stating that there would be "serious consequences" if the new regime allows Bazoum's health to deteriorate, as reported by an EU official.

On Saturday, thousands of people gathered outside the main stadium in Niamey to register as volunteer fighters or offer assistance in case the Niger junta needs support against potential military intervention from neighbouring countries.

Also watch |Niger Crisis: ECOWAS decides an undisclosed 'D-day' for Niger intervention

Some parents even brought their children to sign up, while enthusiastic groups of youth chanted in favour of the junta and against both ECOWAS and France, the country's former colonial ruler.

"We came here to enlist as soldiers. Many people around the country, our brothers our sisters, went out to call for soldiers. We are here since the morning. We want to thank our president (junta leader) for what he is doing right now,"Mohamed Djibou, a volunteer, can be heard as telling an AFP crew in a video interview.

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