Nigerian government condemns Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso for quitting ECOWAS bloc

Nigeria has critisised the decision of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to leave the ECOWAS bloc. Abuja accused the three countries under military authorities of denying their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade and freedom to choose their own leaders…

The Nigerian government has faulted the decision of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to leave the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

As the chair of the economic and political bloc in the West African sub-region, Nigeria stressed that the juntas have let down their citizens.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry, in a statement on the three countries’ departure, accused the three countries under military authorities of denying their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade and freedom to choose their own leaders.

Despite the decision to leave the bloc, Nigeria expressed its willingness to engage the juntas as part of efforts to end the current impasse.

Relations between the three countries and with Ecowas had become intense following coups in Niger in July, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Mali in 2020. Ecowas urged all three countries to return to civilian regime.

The three countries were already suspended by the ECOWAS in response to the coups.

Their military rulers critisised ECOWAS for not helping them in the fight against extremist insurgencies among other internal security challenges.

In September, they created the Alliance of Sahel States, suggesting that they needed to restore security before holding elections.