The leader of the military junta in Niger Republic, General Abdourahmane Tchiani has explained why they refused to see the delegation sent by President Bola Tinubu in the wake of the military coup in the country.
Bellnews recalls as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu had dispatched a delegation to Niger to end the ongoing political crisis.
The delegation was led by former Nigerian military Head of State, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar, and included the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Omar Alieu Touray.
However, the military coup leaders refused to see the delegation, and the members were forced to depart empty-handed.
Speaking in a statement on Sunday after their own meeting with the coup leaders in Niger, the national leader of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau who led a delegation of Nigerian Islamic scholars to negotiate with the junta leaders said General Tchiani narrated that they were hungry.
According to him, General Tchiani explained that it was painful that ECOWAS did not even try to hear their side of the story before ordering sanctions against them and issuing an ultimatum for them to leave office.
The coup leader added that they were angry but he however apologized to President Tinubu.
“General Tchiani, however, said it was painful to the coup leaders that the ECOWAS leaders did not hear their side of the matter before issuing ultimatum to them to quit office.
“He claimed the coup was well intended, stating that they struck to stave off an imminent threat that would have affected not only Niger Republic but also Nigeria.
“He also apologized for not according the team sent by President Tinubu, led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), the required attention because they were angry about the ECOWAS ultimatum,” the statement quoted him to have said.