Malian coup leader invited to regional meeting: Nigerian official

Emergency Economic Community of West African States meeting scheduled for Sunday

Olarewaju Kola

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) - Malian coup leader, Col. Assimi Goita, has been invited by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional body to discuss political instability in that country, a Nigerian official said Friday.

"On Sunday, the president of Ghana who is the current head of EXOWAS is conveying an emergency meeting of the body's heads of government and he is inviting the Malian defacto leader," Nigerian Foreign Minister Goeffrey Onyeama told reporters at the presidential villa in Abuja.

He said former Nigerian President and special ECOWAS envoy, Jonathan Goodluck, held talks on Thursday with the Malian military junta and ousted president and prime minister.

Meanwhile, Nigerian President Mohammadu Buhari urged all actors in Mali to embrace peace for the unity of the country.

"A situation where most parts of the country are in the hands of insurgents calls for a consensus and restoration of peace, not a further escalation of the crisis," Buhari said after receiving ECOWAS special envoy.

Goita declared himself the leader of Malo after he ousted the president and prime minister on May 24.

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