The National Missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Abdurrahman Ahmad, on Tuesday noted that the threat to kill the ousted President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum could just be a bargaining chip.
OsunDailyNG had earlier reported that the coup leaders threatened to kill Bazoum if the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) attempted any military intervention.
Ahmad, who was part of the Islamic delegation from Nigeria that met with the Niger junta leadership on Sunday while speaking on Channels TV, said the junta “cannot afford to renege on their promise and commitment”.
Speaking on their move to negotiate, Ahmad, however, stated that the junta does not feel safe travelling outside the country.
He said, “This is a time when everyone will be putting bargaining chips on the table.
“I think, as far as I’m concerned, they want to be negotiating from a position of relative strength, not absolute weakness.
“The way I see the people, the way we interacted with them, they cannot afford to renege on their promise and commitment.
“This is why the president also has graciously approved the continuing contact, diplomatic effort with them.
“They were very receptive when we met with them. He said his government is ready for negotiations and there were no conditions, except that they don’t feel safe travelling outside of Niger.
“He assured that they were not here to stay and that they felt the most patriotic thing for them to do at that point in time was to seize power to save the people, their country and the sub-region.”
