President Muhammadu Buhari will today in Abuja host an Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, with discussions basically focusing on the current political situation in Burkina Faso.
Garba Shehu, senior special adviser to the president on media and publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
It would be recalled that a Burkina Faso general, who served as top military aide to former dictator, Blaise Compaore, for three decades, was named Thursday as the leader of a coup that sacked the West African nation’s interim government.
Gilbert Diendere, a former chief-of-staff to Compaore, was named the head of the new junta called the National Council for Democracy.
Under Compaore, Diendere, a spy operator, played a central role in negotiating the release of Western hostages seized by Islamist groups in the arid Sahel, Reuters reported.
But the military had earlier announced the dissolution of the transitional government a day after personnel from the country’s elite presidential guard unit arrested the interim president and prime minister.
Soldiers who stormed a cabinet meeting, plunging the poor West African country into chaos and uncertainty, detained President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Yacouba Zida.
Protesters took to the streets to protest the military takeover amid reports that 10 people had been shot dead by the presidential guards.
Series of protests and deaths have also followed the announcement of the coup, which had received global condemnation.
Buhari, who equally seized power in a military takeover more than 30 years ago before becoming a democratically elected president, had on Friday last week condemned the coup in Burkina Faso.
Buhari had “unreservedly condemned” the takeover, which saw Burkina Faso’s interim president and prime minister detained with members of the administration.
The takeover by elements of the Burkinabe Presidential Guard was a “brazen contravention of the constitution and transitional charter,” according to a statement from his office, which also noted that Abuja welcomed the release of interim President Michel Kafando.
It would be recalled that elections had been due to take place next month, more than a year after former President Blaise Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising.
Nigeria said it supported efforts by regional bloc ECOWAS and the African Union to resolve the crisis and promised its “fullest possible support” to mediators presidents Macky Sall of Senegal and Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin.
Buhari, 72, is a former army general who came to power in a military coup in December 1983, overthrowing a civilian government widely seen as riddled with corruption.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
