By Damilare Adeleye
The African Union has suspended Niger until civilian rule in the country is restored.
This is even as the AU said it would assess the implications of any armed intervention in the troubled Sahel nation.
The Peace and Security Council “requests the AU Commission to undertake an assessment of the economic, social and security implications of deploying a standby force in Niger and report back to Council,” the bloc said, following strong differences on the matter.
Military junta had toppled President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, prompting the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to threaten to use force to reinstate him.
It could be recalled that the ECOWAS chaired by President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria had placed economic sanctions on Niger following the military takeover.
The ECOWAS imposed “suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger, freeze all service transactions including energy transactions.
“Freeze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank. Freeze of assets of the Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.
“Suspension of measure from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID,” ECOWAS directed.