Sanusi briefs Tinubu after meeting with Niger junta

Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi, 14th Emir of Kano, on Wednesday night, visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sanusi arrived the Villa at about 8:25pm immediately after a high delegation of the Nigeria Islamic Ulama met with the President.

The former Emir just returned from Niger Republic where he had a meeting with the military junta that seized power from the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Daily Trust had earlier reported how Sanusi met the coup leaders to open a window for negotiation.

• Bauchi rep to give foodstuffs to 2,000 widows
• N/Assembly will be fair to all, Barau assures promoters of Tiga, Gari states

Sources told this newspaper that Sanusi went in personal capacity but briefed President Tinubu ahead of the trip.

A delegation raised by the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) could not broker peace with the military rulers as they declined a meeting.

But on Wednesday, footages of Sanusi, whose Tijjaniya sect has a large following in Niger, went into circulation.

Sanusi is the Khalifa of the sect in Nigeria.

The revered Nigerian economist met the Junta leaders in company of the Sultan of Damagaran.

Damagaran is the third largest city in Niger.

Sources told Daily Trust that Sanusi went there to open the door for negotiation with the junta.

One of the sources said, “His Highness took the trip in his personal capacity but with the knowledge of President Bola Tinubu following his concerns about the impasse and the likely consequences it is already having on Nigeria/Niger relations and the citizens of the two countries.”

The meeting comes a day before the gathering of ECOWAS leaders in Abuja.

Tinubu, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS, had scheduled a meeting for Thursday after the 7-day ultimatum that the regional bloc issued for the reinstatement of Bazoum elapsed.