The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has declared a state of emergency in the region.
Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, relayed the
declaration on Tuesday during the 55th session of the mediation and security
council, at the ministerial level in Abuja.
The meeting was convened following the string of coups and
botched mutinies in the sub-region.
Touray said the developments highlight the “imperative of
serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to
invest in the security of our community”.
Last month, a group of military officers in Guinea-Bissau
took over control of the government and suspended the electoral process.
The coup came just days after a presidential election was
held as citizens awaited results.
On Sunday, a group of soldiers announced a takeover of the
government in Benin Republic.
Hours later, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was deployed to
restore constitutional order in the country.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said President Bola
Tinubu’s actions were based on requests from the Benin government.
Late Monday, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a breakaway
ECOWAS faction, accused Nigeria of violating its airspace, warning that it had
authority to neutralise intruders.
“Faced with this situation, Excellencies, it is safe to
declare that our community is in a state of emergency,” Touray said of the
developments.
‘ELECTIONS NOW MAJOR TRIGGER OF INSTABILITY’
Touray pointed to elections as a “major trigger of
instability” in the region.
“Despite the best of efforts of our community to establish
constitutional convergence principles, and to have a support programme for
elections in our region in order to safeguard our democratic credentials and
stability, we have continued to witness political practices that violate these
principles,” he said.
The remarks come with Guinea, Benin, Gambia, and Cape Verde
billed to hold elections soon.
“We also have to negotiate with our neighbours, the Alliance
of Sahel States (AES), particularly the terms of our security cooperation as we
continue to see the devastating effect of terrorists’ groups along our borders
with them,” he added.
“We must confront these threats with the attention they
deserve.
“We must pool our resources to confront the threats of
terrorism and banditry, which operate without respect for territorial
boundaries.”
Touray tasked the council with maintaining unity within
ECOWAS amid geopolitical pressures.
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