Tinubu, who said that ECOWAS's hands of friendship was still open to Niger Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso, noted that ECOWAS would continue to engage with the military leaders of the countries.
Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, has called on the military-controlled Niger Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso to return to the West African bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Tinubu, who said that ECOWAS's hands of friendship was still open to Niger Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso, noted that ECOWAS would continue to engage with the military leaders of the countries.
The Nigerian president, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, made the call during a meeting with the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff held on Friday in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
He said, “Our priority is to enhance security and uphold constitutional governance across our region. It has been a challenging period for me, especially with the exit of three member states. We are committed to persuading them to return, by any means necessary.
"No individual is wiser than the collective leadership we have here. We will extend a hand of friendship to them and provide compelling reasons for their return."
Tinubu also praised the defence chiefs for their dedication to maintaining regional stability and safeguarding constitutional rule.
He said “The solution to terrorism and other regional challenges lies within our collective efforts. The ECOWAS standby force must be ready, and we will continue to invest in it, as well as in fostering economic prosperity and opportunities across our region.”
Also speaking during the meeting, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, informed President Tinubu that the defence chiefs had reached a consensus on the need for a unified approach to address regional issues such as insurgency and unconstitutional changes in government.
Musa noted that discussions at the meeting included plans to strengthen ECOWAS’s military capabilities, particularly through the proposed standby force.
He also announced the decision to deploy 1,200 troops to Sierra Leone, with various countries pledging support for the initiative.
Musa said, “We are aware that ECOWAS finance ministers will be meeting to discuss the critical issue of funding, alongside logistics."
He emphasised that achieving long-term stability requires a balanced approach that combines military efforts with the political elements of good governance, peace, and security, pledging the defence chiefs' commitment to working together to ensure the security of the West African sub-region.