Breaking: : Three Countries Break Ties With ECOWAS. 

By Ijeoma Wilfred

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have announced their decision to sever ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following what they said is the bloc’s shift in ideals.

In a joint statement on Sunday,the three countries whose leaders seized power through coup d’etat criticised ECOWAS over the sanctions imposed on them as part of efforts to compel them to return to democratic rule.

Part of the statement reads,“After 49 years, the valiant peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regretfully and with great disappointment observe that the (ECOWAS) organization has drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism,”