President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday joined other West African leaders to discuss the military coup in Mali that ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
The meeting, which was scheduled to start at 11 am, was held virtually under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Channels Television can confirm.
President Buhari participated from the Council Chambers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Present with him were the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada and Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (Rtd).
Others were the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd); Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Abubakar Ahmed Rufai and the two Presidential Spokespersons, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu.
ECOWAS has strongly condemned the change of government in member state Mali.
“The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will hold an extraordinary summit on the socio-political situation in Mali on Thursday,” the regional body said in a statement on Wednesday.
ECOWAS had been mediating in the crisis before Tuesday’s coup.
Malian army officer Colonel Assimi Goita on Wednesday announced himself as the coup leader.
The African Union (AU) also on Wednesday suspended Mali a day after the coup.
The AU joined other international bodies and nations, including the US and European Union, to condemn the coup and demand the release of the detained leaders.
