President Bola Tinubu has asked the delegation of Nigerian Muslim leaders, (Ulamas), to return to the Niger Republic for more diplomatic talks with the military junta.
Tinubu gave the directive on Thursday after the Ulamas briefed him on the outcome of their last mission made on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
After the meeting in Niger, Abdourahmane Tiani, leader of the Niger junta, said they were ready to explore diplomatic dialogue.
The return of the Islamic leaders to Niger comes as ECOWAS defence chiefs said the bloc still favours diplomacy even though a day for military intervention had been fixed, as a last resort.
Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, had also assured that diplomatic interventions to restore constitutional order in Niger will succeed.
After leading an ECOWAS delegation to the unstable West African country, Abdulsalami said discussions with Niger’s military junta had been very fruitful, expressing hope that positive actions will soon come out of it.
James Heappey, the United Kingdom’s minister of state for the armed forces, said the UK recognised Nigeria’s diplomatic mediation efforts to peacefully restore democracy in its northern neighbour.
Heappey added that the UK would continue to support Nigeria and ECOWAS in their efforts to ensure that constitutional order returns to the Niger Republic.
Tiani had announced that the country would hand over power in three years but ECOWAS rejected the plan, adding that it would no longer tolerate prolonged transition periods in the sub-region.