The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu has ordered a fresh wave of sanctions through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on entities, and individuals related to and involved with the military junta in Niger Republic.
This was made public by the Special Adviser to the President, Media, and Public Affairs, Ajuri Ngelale who disclosed this during a press conference on Tuesday.
He pointed out these sanctions are based on the position of financial sanctions meted out on the military junta in the Niger Republic by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of states.
According to him, while no option has been taken off the table, it is expected that the far-reaching decisions will be taken by the bloc at the upcoming extraordinary meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
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‘No options have been taken off of the table,’ Tinubu’s spokesman Ajuri said — but Tinubu and other West African leaders favour diplomacy.
Yesterday, Tinubu clarified that the ultimatum by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government towards the military junta in Niger Republic did not come from Nigeria.
Tinubu spoke as fresh bids by the United States, the United Nations and the African Union to come to the negotiating table was rejected by the junta.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the African Union (AU) planned to send a joint mission with representatives of the UN and ECOWAS to Niger on Tuesday, but it was denied permission by the junta, which has closed Niger’s airspace, French magazine Jeune Afrique reported.
The United Nations said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly supported mediation efforts by ECOWAS.
Meanwhile, hours after a US envoy failed to make progress in an unannounced visit, the soldiers, who seized power in Niamey on July 26, blocked a mission by ECOWAS in the run up to a summit on Thursday. (tomorrow).