By Success Evah

Nigerians have welcomed the lifting of some of the sanctions that were imposed on the country by West Africa’s regional bloc following last year’s coup.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended trade and imposed tough sanctions last July, after Niger’s president, Mohamed Bazoum, was ousted in a military coup.

ECOWAS announced that it was lifting some of the sanctions, including a no-fly zone, border closures and asset freezes.

In Tahoua, Niger’s south-west, the news was greeted by the honking of car horns and parades of motorbikes and cars, but the Nigerien authorities had not yet commented on the lifting of sanctions.