Former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi, has met with the coup leaders in Niger Republic.
Sanusi, also a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) met the military leadership after the junta declined a meeting with representatives of the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), and a top U.S diplomat.
The Nigerian economist met the Junta leaders in the company of the Sultan of Damagaran.
The meeting comes a day before the gathering of ECOWAS leaders in Abuja.
Daily Trust reports 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.”
Recall a delegation raised by ECOWAS could not broker peace with the military rulers as they aborted a meeting.
But on Wednesday, footages of Sanusi, whose Tijjaniya sect has a large following in Niger, was in circulation.
President Bola 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 President Mohamed Bazoum elapsed.
