There is palpable anxiety in Northern Nigerian residents over
possible reprisal attack by the military junta from Niger Republic if President
Bola Tinubu applies military option against the junta in the neigbhouring
country.
Reports have it that following the toppling of Niger’s
democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum by his military guard last
week, leaders of the West African regional bloc are devising means to restore
democracy to that country.
Recall that about 10 senior military officers led by Colonel
Major Amadou Abdramane had via a National broadcast on July 27, announced a
coup in Niger over alleged poor governance and inability of the government to
tackle security and other challenges bedevilling their country.
In a swift move to quell another military rule in the region,
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by its newly elected
Chairman, President Bola Tinubu gave the junta seven days ultimatum to restore
normalcy or face some stringent sanctions.
The ultimatum was issued last week during an emergency
meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.
According to a communique released after the meeting, the
West African leaders agreed on seven political sanctions that would compel the
military to bow. According to them, West African States would ensure:
“Closure and monitoring of all land borders with the Niger Republic and reactivation of the border drilling exercise. Cutting off Electricity supply to the Niger Republic.
”Mobilising international support for the implementation of
the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.
“Preventing the operation of commercial and special flights
into and from Niger Republic.
“Blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos
and eastern seaports
“Embarking on sensitization of Nigerians and Nigerians on the
imperative of these actions, particularly via social media.
“Military build-up and deployment of personnel for military
intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they
remain recalcitrant”
In a bid to execute the resolutions, Tinubu, on August 3rd,
dispatched a delegation to Niger with a mandate to expeditiously resolve the
political impasse in the country.
The delegation, headed by former Nigerian Head of State,
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), left for Niamey on Thursday after a
briefing by President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
The former Nigerian Head of State was joined in the
delegation by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and the
President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Omar Alieu Touray.
However, it was gathered that efforts of the delegation were yielding no positive outcome as the Nigerien military vowed to antagonise the resolutions of the leadership of ECOWAS.
“Military action was the last thing the ECOWAS proposed but
from the look of things, the soldiers in Niger are not ready for talks.
“So there is a need for the President to prepare ahead. The
Nigerian soldiers cannot go on such a mission without the approval of the
National Assembly. From the reports and videos we have been seeing, the Niger
soldiers have established ties with Russia and other powerful nations waiting
for war.
“Who knows their plan? We all saw the protest that was held
in Niamey on Friday where they were raining all sorts of insults on our
president. We need to prepare ahead”.
President Tinubu on Friday sought the approval of
the Senate for a military action to tackle the political unrest
in Niger. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read the letter on the
floor of the Upper Chamber on Friday.
The move for military action has, however, instilled palpable
fear in Nigerians, particularly Northerners who share borders with Niger.
Recall that Burkina Faso and Mali, had on Monday, joined
forces with Niger, warning that any military intervention in their coup-hit
neighbour, would be tantamount to war in the West African region.
Niamey the capital city of Niger is 371 miles and 10 hours 45
minutes drive away from Katsina State.
There are fears that the looming military intervention may
force the Niger junta to unleash attacks on some of the Northern States.
An Islamic preacher in Kano, Dr Muhammad Sani Umar Rijiyar
Lemo, in a viral video on Friday, warned Tinubu against leading Nigeria to
invade Niger.
Rijiyar Lemo stated that any military incursion would further
add to the myriad of socio-economic challenges in the Sahel region, advising
ECOWAS to find a peaceful means of resolving the issues.
“Everyone knows that war, especially at this moment, comes
with several consequences. We won’t know how and when it ends”, he added.
Similarly, the Northern Senators Forum on Friday cautioned
ECOWAS against the use of military force in restoring democracy in Niger
Republic.
The senators, under the leadership of Senator Abdul Ahmad
Ningi (Bauchi), called for political and diplomatic means to restore democratic
government in that country.
The forum, in a statement by its spokesperson, Suleiman A.
Kawu Sumaila, cautioned that military force would cause the death of many
innocent citizens in Niger Republic and seven Nigerian States that share a
border with Niger.
“We take exception to the use of military force until other
avenues as mentioned are exhausted as the consequences will be casualties among
the innocent citizens who go about their daily business”, the statement added.
Also, the National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative
Forum, AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima said on Saturday that any
attempt to embark on military intervention in Niger would have a direct effect
on Northerners.
He urged President Tinubu and the Senate to ensure that all
diplomatic means have been exhausted before embarking on military action
against the Niger junta.
He said, “In the first place, we have not even exhausted all
the necessary tools before arriving at the conclusion that we need to go for
war.
“The decision is coming in a haste. I don’t think Nigeria is
prepared to go to war now. Don’t forget that we have serious internal issues
that are already threatening our existence.
“Don’t forget that if war should break out from Niger, the
North will be directly affected. I don’t understand why we are taking Panadol
for somebody’s headaches. Citizens of Niger are jubilating over the coup and we
are here carrying another man’s cross on our head.
“This means there is more to what we are seeing and hearing.
It is my view that the President should be very careful and the Senate should
also be careful not to give any approval immediately.
“We don’t have that money to spend and we don’t have such
manpower to waste now. It is too early to be talking about invading the
country.
“Don’t forget that Russia has an interest in this case. I’m
not in support of war for now. Let us be mindful of our own internal challenges
so that we don’t invite trouble to ourselves.”
However, hours after Tinubu’s letter to the Senate, the
security committee of the ECOWAS, comprising military chiefs of some West
African countries, said they would give diplomacy a chance in Niger over the
current activities of the junta in the country.
The chiefs assured that there would be an intensified
diplomatic effort to engage with all relevant stakeholders and ensure that
dialogue and negotiation is at the forefront of the approach to resolve the
crisis in Republic of Niger.
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