Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet on Thursday (today) in Abuja to decide on what to do with the political crises in Niger Republic, whose military rulers have resisted its ultimatum to concede power or face probable military action.

With the deadline to restore democratic governance long passed, ECOWAS’ stout initial action seems to have been exchanged for a more pragmatic approach.

ECOWAS had this week announced a slew of sanctions against individuals collaborating with the military junta in Niger.

Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s president and ECOWAS chairman, directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement the financial sanctions on those concerned.

“Mr President has directed the acting CBN governor to levy another slate of sanctions against entities and individuals associated with the military junta in Niger public,” Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu’s spokesman, said.

“This is not an individual action taken by an individual president on behalf of an individual nation. This is an action taken yes, by the ECOWAS chairman who is the president of Nigeria, but standing on the authority provided by the consensus resolution of all ECOWAS members and heads of state with regard to financial sanctions being levied by ECOWAS member states against the military junta in Niger Republic,” he added.