Lamido Sanusi meets Niger coup leader, General Tchiani

A former Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, Lamido Sanusi, is in Niger to meet with the junta leaders.

In a picture, Mr Sanusi, a former Emir of Kano, was seen standing beside the leader of the junta, General Abdourahamane Tchiani.

It is not clear in what capacity Mr Sanusi visited Niger. However, the former monarch is a close ally of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu who is also the ECOWAS leader.

Mr Sanusi is also the spiritual leader (Khalifah) of the Tijaniyah Islamic movement in Nigeria, a movement with millions of members across West Africa, including Niger.

Mr Sanusi was accompanied on the visit by the Emir of Damagaram in Zinder, in the Maradi region of Niger.

Since regional body ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Niger following last month’s coup, Mr Tchiani has refused to meet most of the official delegations sent to the country.

Mr Tchiani also declined to meet with an ECOWAS delegation led by former military leader Abdulsalami Abubakar. He also refused to meet with the US Acting Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland.

ECOWAS leaders will meet Thursday to review the situation in Niger following the expiration of the one week ultimatum given to the coup leaders to relinquish power back to President Mohamed Bazoum.