The leader of the military junta in Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has his country and two others: Mali and Burkina Faso, which pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States, would not seek rejoining the group.
Speaking in an interview with RTN, he also said they won’t release deposed President Mohammed Bazoum.
The Eagle Online recalls that the military junta arrested Bazoum following the July 26, 2023 coup in the country, while Niger Republic joined Mali and Burkina Faso in exiting ECOWAS on January 27, 2024.
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General Tchiani, who spoke with the RTN news channel in Niamey, said: “Just because we are members of the bloc, food and medicine supplies were cut off.
“Power was also cut off, and our funds have been frozen.
“So, we consulted our friends in the Sahel on exiting the bloc to better the lives of our citizens.
“That we should withdraw from the bloc that is answerable to the foreign countries.
“So, we have withdrawn our membership from the bloc and would never return to the union.
“Now that the world is a global village, is the world within ECOWAS?
“So, God will feed every human He created.
“We would never release Bazoum.
“Setting Bazoum free is akin to stabbing ourselves in the stomach, which would do harm to Nigeriens.”
