Niger
One of West Africa's most prominent traditional and religious leaders flew to Niger's capital, Niamey, Wednesday to meet with the country's coup leaders.
The visit of the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, came a day ahead of an ECOWAS regional summit Thursday in Nigeria to determine the bloc's response to Niger's junta's non-compliance with their deadline to free President Mohamed Bazoum.
Sanusi, a respected Tijanniyah Sufi spiritual leader and former Nigerian Central Bank governor, was able to meet coup leader Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, former head of Bazoum's presidential guard. What was discussed has not yet been disclosed.
Niger's new military junta has taken steps in recent days to entrench itself in power and has rejected international efforts to mediate, a day early blocking emissaries from the African Union, United Nations and ECOWAS from visiting Niger.
01:14
Tinubu pardons the Ogoni Nine activists, 30 years after their execution
02:18
Nigerian animation shines at Annecy Film Festival
01:14
Mali: Assimi Goita could soon be president until 2030 - without an election
48:03
Half a century later, Is ECOWAS falling apart? [Africanews Debates]
01:08
Nigeria: Death toll rises to at least 200 in devastating floods
01:33
Deadly floods sweep Nigeria