Chiefs of Defence Staff of the West African sub-region have commenced a crucial meeting at the Defence headquarters in Abuja over the coup in Niger Republic. 

The ECOWAS regional bloc meeting is expected to last for two days and Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa is chairing the meeting.

The meeting is attended by Chiefs of Defence Staff of Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d Ivoire, Cape Verde, Senegal, Benin Republic, Guinea Bissau. Representatives from Niger, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau were absent at the meeting.

Also present is the Commissioner for Political Affairs of ECOWAS.

The meeting is being held after the military junta in Niger Republic expressed opposition to any aggression against Niger by regional or Western nations.