Opposition has continued to mount against the possible military action against the coupists in the Niger Republic with experts warning President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria could slip into another economic recession should he lead a war in the neighbouring country.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after a meeting on Thursday in Abuja ordered the Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff to immediately activate its standby force with all its elements.
At yesterday’s meeting in Abuja, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, said troops would be deployed to Niger while reading the resolution taken at the end of the Second Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the regional bloc on the Niger coup.
The leaders had converged on Abuja to discuss their next line of action after the seven-day ultimatum for the reinstatement of President Bazoum elapsed without compliance from the junta. ECOWAS had earlier slammed sanctions on Niger and threatened possible military options after soldiers on Wednesday, July 26 took President Bazoum into custody.
Military action in Niger is becoming inevitable but experts have warned that more political and diplomatic efforts should be extensively explored to prevent such eventuality.
A security sector reform expert, Chukwuma Ume, said the country might slip back into recession with the action ECOWAS wants to take.
Ume said although the northern region might be turned into a battlefield, he, however, ruled out that only the northern region of the country would bear the brunt if ECOWAS security forces were unleashed on the coupists.
He argued that the lean resources in the country would further be depleted, urging the Nigerian government to focus more on something more productive.
Similarly, Abdullahi Idris, a political analyst said there was no need for military action against Niger.
“I strongly believe it is Nigeria, indeed northern Nigeria that will suffer the brunt of any military action against Niger. They are our neighbours, we should not go that far to massage the ego of some selfish people.
“And apart from that, Tinubu must remember that the Senate has abhorred military action. And we must remember that using the name ‘ECOWAS’ is just an alibi! It is Nigeria that will fund the war and we are not ready for that,” he said.
Meanwhile, a group, the Concerned Citizens, yesterday advised President Tinubu on the need to align ECOWAS and national interest.
In an open letter addressed to the president, they stressed the need to “Create conditions for the restoration of Track 1 as well as Track 2 diplomacy by making a gesture to the putschists through measures such as the withdrawal of the threat of use of force.
Those who signed the letter included: A. B. Mahmoud SAN, Prof Jibrin Ibrahim, Gen (rtd) M. L. Agwai, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Amb Fatima Balla, Prof M. J. Kuna, Dr Kole Shettima, Dr Hussaini Abdu, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, Mrs Maryam Uwais, Kabiru Adamu, Mouftah Baba Ahmed, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Dr Yahya Hashim and Dr Aisha Oyebode.
Some of the suggestions they made include: “Immediate deployment of Track 2 diplomacy through traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society to urge the junta to open doors to diplomatic discussions between the two governments – Nigeria and Niger as well as the Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS.
“Provide assurances to the Nigerien people of Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining friendship and fraternal relations with the government and people of Niger.
“Improve Nigeria’s strategic communication showing actions undertaken are in tandem with our long-standing commitment to the protection and consolidation of democracy within Nigeria, ECOWAS and Africa.
“Make clear our collective resolve towards the full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”
However, hours after the declaration by ECOWAS, Niger’s military junta said they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if neighbouring countries attempt any military intervention to restore his rule.
Daily Mail quoted two Western officials as disclosing this to a top U.S. diplomat.
According to the medium, a Western military official said representatives of the junta told US Under Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week.
The Associated Press reported that a U.S. official confirmed that account, also speaking on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
The military coup in Niger was trailed by widespread condemnation from the U.S, the EU, the UN, the AU and ECOWAS.
While ECOWAS leaders were meeting in Abuja, the Tchiani-led junta, however, announced a 21-member cabinet, to be led by Ali Mahaman Liman Zeine, who was appointed as prime minister by the military on Thursday morning.
At its meeting yesterday, the regional bloc said all efforts to dialogue with the Niger junta had been rejected by coup leaders at various intervals, while stressing its continued commitment to restoring constitutional order through peaceful means.
The ECOWAS leaders also condemned the continuous detention of President Bazoum and his family members.
The leaders also warned member states whose actions, whether direct or indirect, impeded the peaceful resolution of the Niger crisis.
The communiqué emphasised that such actions would entail consequences within the ECOWAS community.
As the one-week ultimatum for the restoration of constitutional order expired, the ECOWAS Authority made the following decisions:
“Upholding all measures and principles agreed upon by the Extraordinary Summit held on Niger on 30th of July, 2023.
“Underscores the determination of the ECOWAS Authority to keep all options on the table for the peaceful resolution of the crisis.
“Enforces all measures, in particular, border closures and strict travel bans as well as assets freezes on all persons or groups of individuals whose actions hinder all peaceful efforts aimed at ensuring the smooth and complete restoration of Niger’s constitutional order….
“Direct the Committee of the Chief of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately. Order the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Underscore its continued commitment for the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.”
The West African leaders called on the African Union to endorse their decisions on the Niger crisis while also urging partner countries and institutions, including the United Nations, to support ECOWAS in its effort to ensure a quick restoration of constitutional order in Niger Republic.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission was further tasked with overseeing the implementation of sanctions stemming from the initial Extraordinary meeting in Abuja.
