Tinubu Rejects Request from Niger’s Military Leader

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has refused a request by the head of the military junta of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, to have a direct conversation with him amidst ongoing efforts to resolve the political crisis in Niger.

According to diplomatic sources, Tinubu sees such a meeting as a threat to democracy in the region and a disregard for the detained Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum.

The request was conveyed by a group of Ulamas, but Tinubu rejected it during a meeting in Abuja on August 24, asserting that he will not engage with an illegal government that came to power through a military coup.