A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd), on Thursday urged the African Union (AU) to facilitate the return of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The ex-army chief made the call at the 2026 Voice of Nigeria (VON) Forum themed: “51 Years of Nigeria’s Role in Deepening Democratic Stability in ECOWAS,” held in Abuja.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially left the ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, after they raised concerns over access to justice for the victims of serious human rights abuses in the countries.
Buratai said the mediation of the AU was necessary to restore unity and strengthen regional cooperation in West Africa.
“As it is today, we cannot say ECOWAS is united unless those three states are brought back into the fold.
“We are all of the same umbilical cord, and as it is civil, we are already in, what you call the incubator or intensive care unit. But by and large, I believe diplomacy will work,” he stated.
Buratai, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, stressed that diplomacy remained the most viable option for resolving the current regional impasse.
, on Thursday urged the African Union (AU) to facilitate){kind=link}