Niger Republic breaks off ties with Nigeria, details emerge

The junta in Niger Republic has cut off ties with Nigeria after the efforts of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to resolve the ongoing impasse failed.

The delegation led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) only met with representatives of the junta on Thursday, August 4.

Subsequently, Niger severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France, its coloniser, and the United States, a report by Daily Trust on Friday, August 4, said.

Arab News quoted one of the putschists to have said on national television: “The functions of the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors of the Republic of Niger to France, Nigeria, Togo and the United States are terminated."

In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that a delegation of ECOWAS led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, who spearheaded the engagement with the leaders of Libya and Algeria concerning the Niger crisis, expressed optimism that the talks will avert a possible military intervention.

Kingibe was the Special Envoy to Lake Chad during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.