The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in the Niger Republic.

The President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, made the declaration while reading the a communique containing the resolution of ECOWAS on the Niger coup at an Extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

ECOWAS also called on the African Union, AU, partner countries, and institutions to support the resolution taken by the sub-regional body.

According to the West African bloc, all efforts made to dialogue with Niger Republic military junta have been rejected by coup leaders, hence the need for force.

The communique partly reads:

“Direct the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.

“Order the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

“Underscore its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.”

You can watch the declaration of the ECOWAS standby force from 6:39 in the video below

The move by ECOWAS comes after the Nigerian Senate rejected President Bola Tinubu‘s request to send Nigerian forces for a military intervention in Niger Republic.