Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement additional financial sanctions against the Niger Republic's military junta and their associates. The CBN is implementing these sanctions under the authority of the ECOWAS bloc. Nigeria has already cut off electricity transmission to its northern neighbors to pressurize the military to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The President's spokesman maintains that the ultimatum given to the military Junta in the Niger Republic is not a Nigerian mandate and that the ECOWAS response to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations. The Niger coup leaders vowed to resist external pressure to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum after ECOWAS imposed sanctions and Western allies suspended aid. The junta informed ECOWAS that it cannot host a delegation from the West African regional bloc. The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olukayode Egbetokun directed Assistants Inspector General (AIGs) of Police and Commissioners of Police to be alert to avert internal security crisis following the Niger coup saga. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) called on President Tinubu and ECOWAS to lift sanctions against the Niger Republic and adopt more dialogue with the military junta to prevent a further breakdown of talks.