Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Meets With Niger Coup Leaders Amid ECOWAS Pressure

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the ex-emir of Kano, has held talks with the coup leaders in Niger Republic in a bid to resolve the political crisis in the country.

Sanusi, who is also the spiritual leader of the Tijjaniya sect in West Africa, visited Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Wednesday and met with the members of the military junta that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

Sanusi’s meeting with the coup leaders was captured in pictures and videos that circulated on social media.

The Tijjaniya sect, which Sanusi heads, is a popular Islamic movement in Niger with millions of followers. Sanusi’s visit may have been motivated by his religious influence and his personal ties with some of the coup leaders, who are reportedly his friends.

Sanusi’s intervention comes at a time when the coup leaders are facing mounting pressure from regional and international bodies to restore constitutional order and release Bazoum, who is still under house arrest. The coup leaders have ignored an ultimatum from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to hand over power or face possible military action.

ECOWAS has also suspended Niger from its decision-making bodies and imposed sanctions on the coup leaders and their associates.

A delegation from ECOWAS, led by former Nigerian military ruler Abdusalaami Abubakar and the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, failed to persuade the coup leaders to reverse their actions during a recent visit to Niamey.

The coup leaders also refused to meet with representatives of the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and a top US diplomat, Victoria Nuland, who is the acting deputy secretary of state. Nuland said she offered “a number of options” to end the crisis but reported no progress after a two-hour meeting with the junta chiefs.

Niger is one of Africa’s poorest and most unstable countries, plagued by recurrent coups and Islamist insurgencies.

The coup has disrupted its democratic transition, which saw Bazoum win a historic election in February 2021, marking the first peaceful transfer of power between two elected presidents since independence from France in 1960.

Bazoum is an ally of former president Mahamadou Issoufou, who stepped down after two terms in office. The coup leaders have accused Bazoum’s government of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement of the economy. They have also promised to organize a “transition” that will lead to “inclusive and transparent” elections.

Sanusi’s meeting with the coup leaders is a significant development, as he is a respected figure in Niger and has a close relationship with the Islamic community in the country. It is hoped that he will be able to use his influence to persuade the junta to return to civilian rule.

The meeting was also attended by the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kalla Ankourao. Ankourao said that the government was committed to resolving the crisis peacefully and that Sanusi’s intervention was welcome.

“We are grateful to Sanusi for his willingness to help us resolve this crisis,” Ankourao said. “We believe that he can play a constructive role in bringing about a peaceful resolution.”

Sanusi himself said that he was hopeful that the meeting would be successful.

“I am here to help Niger find a way out of this crisis,” Sanusi said. “I believe that dialogue is the only way to resolve this issue.”

The meeting is a positive development, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to persuade the coup leaders to return to civilian rule. However, Sanusi’s involvement is a significant boost to the efforts of ECOWAS and other international bodies to resolve the crisis.

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