By Chesa Chesa
President Bola Tinubu has met his Benionise counterpart, Patrice Talon, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja over the attempted coup d’etat in Niger Republic.
The meeting ended with Tinubu, who is current Chairman, ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, dispatching Talon to Niger Republic, to find out the state of affairs there and report back to him.
Niger Republic President Mohamed Bazoum on Wednesday was being held by disgruntled members of the elite Presidential Guard, who in turn were given an “ultimatum” by the army, to release him.
Members of the guard on Wednesday morning sealed off access to the president’s residence and offices, and after talks broke down “refused to release the president.
At the Aso Rock parley, Tinubu told State House correspondents that the meeting dealt with ways to resolve the problems that caused the coup attempt in Niger Republic
The Nigerian President disclosed that the Benionise President would head for Naimey to see things and report back to him as the chairman of the ECOWAS.
On his part, President Talon, who spoke in French, said “the situation is serious enough that ECOWAS and President Tinubu as the President, and the President of Nigeria, a neighborhood country of Niger Republic, with Benin Republic of which I am the President, also a neighborhood country of Niger, for us to take it seriously and act quickly.
“I believe that all means will be used if necessary, to restore constitutional order in Niger, but the ideal would be for everything to happen in peace and harmony.
“So, as the president has committed, the mediation actions will be reinforced this very evening so that this situation can be settled in peace, between brothers because even when what is not acceptable is done, it is necessary that in peace, we can correct this. This is our first option and we think it will be a success.”
