ECOWAS leaders demand that Niger coup soldiers hand over power within a week.

　　Xinhua News Agency, Abuja, July 30 (Reporter Guo Jun) The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on the 30th, demanding that the coup d’ é tat soldiers in Niger release the detained President Bazoum and restore his presidency within one week.

　　The leaders of ECOWAS issued a joint statement after the meeting, strongly condemning the attempt to overthrow the constitutional order in Niger and illegally detaining Bazoum and other personnel, saying that Bazoum is still the legitimate leader of Niger recognized by ECOWAS, the African Union and the international community, and demanding that the soldiers involved in the coup immediately release Bazoum and restore his presidency, and completely restore the constitutional order in Niger.

　　The statement stressed that if the relevant requirements are not met within one week, ECOWAS will take all measures, including military intervention, to ensure the restoration of constitutional order in Niger.

　　The statement also said that ECOWAS leaders unanimously agreed to immediately impose sanctions on Niger and the Nigerian soldiers involved in the coup, including closing the air and land borders between ECOWAS member States and Niger, prohibiting commercial flights to and from Niger, suspending commercial and financial activities between ECOWAS member States and Niger, freezing the assets of the Niger government and state-owned enterprises in the ECOWAS central bank and related commercial banks, and imposing travel bans and freezing their assets on the soldiers and related personnel involved in the coup.

　　On 26th, some soldiers of Niger Presidential Guard detained Bazoum. Late that night, the military representatives of the coup announced the establishment of the National Committee for Defending the Motherland on Nigerian national television, relieved President Bazoum of his functions and powers, and the military regime took over state affairs. The UN Security Council issued a statement on 28th, strongly condemning the coup in Niger and demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Bazoum.