President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned Wednesday’s detention of the Interim President, the Prime Minister and other ministers of the transitional government of Burkina Faso in an apparent coup d’etat.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said this in a statement.
He said Buhari and Nigeria aligned with ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations in rejecting “the brazen contravention of the constitution and transitional charter of Burkina Faso by elements of the Presidential Guard under the leadership of General Gilbert Diendere”.
He said Buhari and Nigeria urged the Defence and Security Forces of Burkina Faso to keep faith with the agreed transitional programme for the return of the country to full democratic rule after elections due to be held on October 11.
Adesina quoted the president as saying that in support of the forthcoming elections, Nigeria had donated 20 pick-up vans to the National Electoral Commission of Burkina Faso.
He said while welcoming the news that the Interim President, Mr. Michel Kafando has now been freed, Buhari and Nigeria also demanded the immediate release of Prime Minister Isaac Zida and other detained ministers.
He said Buhari assured that Nigeria would give the fullest possible support to ongoing efforts by the ECOWAS mediatory team of President Macky Sall of Senegal and President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic to quickly restore Burkina Faso to the path of order, democracy and constitutionalism.
According to Adesina, Buhari urges the people of Burkina Faso to remain calm and steadfast in support of the transitional order, elections and democratic governance “with the full assurance that Nigeria, ECOWAS and the international community will uphold their right to peace, freedom, democracy and good governance”.
