Niger: ECOWAS Deploys Troops, Ready for Diplomacy, Peace

*Nigerian president says initial ultimatum yielded no result 

*We are ready, declares Nigeria air force

*Afenifere, CAN, others insist military action is no option

Deji Elumoye, Kingsley Nwezeh, Michael Olugbode, Emameh Gabriel in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure

The Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), yesterday, ordered the activation of of a standby force and subsequently ordered the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the regional bodyto direct deployment.

Although ECOWAS agreed that diplomatic channels should further be explored and that all other options were still on the table including the use of force, President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as ECOWAS chairman, however, insisted it was crucial that the regional body prioritised diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as a lasting move to resolving the Nigerien crisis.

Tinubu, who said the regional body would continue to champion diplomacy and dialogue, as well as earnest discussions with all parties involved, to restore constitutional governance in Niger, also noted that the failure of the initial ultimatum to yield desired results had necessitated the new resolutions.
However, responding to order, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, yesterday, said the Nigerian Air Force has raised its state of readiness.

At the same time, a foremost Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN);  Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) and some prominent Nigerians, among others, have reiterated their opposition to any military intervention in Niger.
Against the backdrop of the latest development, it is expected that about 6000 to 7000 personnel from member countries and other assets including armoured tanks and fighter planes would be in action should all diplomatic channels fail.
The last time such a deployment was effected was to force former Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh, who refused to relinquish power after loosing election to President Adama Barrow.

The regional bloc had deployed a stabilisation force in Guinea-Bissau in 2022 after the country was thrown into turmoil, when its president escaped a coup attempt.
The Guinea-Bissau Stabilisation Support Mission comprised some 600 troops from Nigeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Ghana, ECOWAS records showed.
The regional bloc agreed to continue the dialogue option while not dismantling the existing sanctions taken at the last summit.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, who spoke at the end of the second extraordinary summit on the political situation in Niger, said the military chiefs of the region were directed to activate the standby force to serve as a last option in restoring constitutional government of President Mohammed Bazoum.

The decisions including to “direct the President of the Commission to monitor the implementation of the sanctions. 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,” he said.
He said ECOWAS would need the support of partner countries and institutions including the United Nation on the restoration of peace and stability in the sub-region.

Earlier in his opening speech, Tinubu declared that in reaffirming the regional bloc’s relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the wellbeing of the people of Niger, “it is crucial that we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.
“We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum. It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”
Underscoring the significance of the meeting, Tinubu stressed the importance of a comprehensive evaluation of progress thus far.
“More specifically,” he said, “as leaders of our respective nations, we must recognise that the political crisis in Niger not only poses a threat to the stability of the nation but also has far-reaching implications for the entire West African region.

”By remaining steadfast in our adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, we can restore peace, stability, and prosperity in the Republic of Niger, thereby fostering an environment conducive to growth and development for all.”
Building upon commitments from the initial Extraordinary Summit held in Abuja ten days ago, the president  recollected the ECOWAS leaders’ collective condemnation of the military coup that toppled Niger’s democratically elected government.
Highlighting the ‘firm and coordinated’ efforts already undertaken, Tinubu outlined ECOWAS’ deployment of mediation teams and Special Envoys to engage with key stakeholders within and beyond the region.

He also pointed to the recent meeting of ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff, the meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the ECOWAS Commission’s memorandum on current developments in Niger as crucial sources of insight to guide the decisions of the Heads of State and Government at the meeting.
According to him, “Today’s Summit provides a significant opportunity to meticulously review and assess the progress made since our last gathering. It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions and identify any gaps or challenges that may have hindered progress.
“It is only through this comprehensive assessment that we can collectively chart a new sustainable path towards lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger.”
The ECOWAS chairman further recalled that the junta was told in the previous meeting to reinstate the democratically elected president but the directive was yet to be complied with.

“As you may recall, we called on the junta to rescind its decision of toppling a legitimate government. We proceeded to impose sanctions with the hope that this resolute measure would serve as a catalyst for the restoration of the constitutional order in Niger.
“Regrettably, the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first summit has not yielded the desired outcome. We have also made diligent efforts through the deployment of various ECOWAS mediation teams, to engage the military junta for a peaceful resolution of the political situation,” he said.

He expressed confidence that yesterday’s summit would be a defining moment in the journey towards a stronger, more resilient, and integrated West Africa.
Tinubu, therefore, rallied fellow leaders to seize this opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of Africans by fostering a future characterised by peace, progress, and prosperity.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Presidents of Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Cote ‘d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Sierra Leone, and Togo, while Liberia and the Gambia were represented by their Foreign Ministers.
Non-ECOWAS leaders, such as the Mauritanian and Burundian presidents, also attended.

We Are Ready, Declares NigeriaAir Force

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force, has raised its state of readiness, which he claimed was paramount and must never be in doubt.
This, according to him, was in line with NAF’s constitutional responsibility to be ready to perform tasks that might be assigned to it by Nigeria’s political leaders.  
ir Marshal Abubakar stated this at his maiden meeting with Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding and NAF operational commanders held at NAF Headquarters Abuja.
He warned that even as the service remained in the state of readiness, personnel must remain apolitical, patriotic and conduct themselves in the most professional and disciplined manner.
The CAS, had earlier described the contemporary operating environment within the shores of Nigeria and across the West African sub-Region as diffuse and complex, with consequences on the political climate of the entire region.
Speaking further, Air Marshal Abubakar commended NAF operational commanders for their commitment in tackling the current security challenges facing the Nation.
“I am particularly glad about the recent heightened level of air operations across all our joint operations theatres, which has seen us record tremendous outcomes,” he said.
He observed that while so much had been achieved, a lot still needed to be done to ensure the NAF fully attained its set objectives. He then implored the commanders to ensure they utilise the opportunity of the meeting to interact frankly and objectively while proffering solutions and strategies that could translate into actionable consequences on the ground.
Earlier, the CAS had unveiled his command philosophy, which he said would enable NAF personnel have a clear understanding of his focus on the future direction of the Service.

Framing his philosophy, Air Marshal Abubakar, stated that he took cognisance of the current state of NAF fleet, which had been enhanced with over 70 new aircraft types with more being expected as well as the current security environment.
“Only a carefully thought-out strategy guided by a strong philosophy can adequately situate the NAF to address the nation’s security challenges”, he said.
Consequently, the CAS revealed that his command philosophy was  “to transform the NAF into an agile and resilient force that effectively meets the airpower demands of national security in all operational environments.

“To translate his philosophy into tangible gains on ground, the CAS stated that he will leverage on technology, innovation, lessons learnt as well as the personnel and fleets at his disposal to effectively checkmate the security threats confronting the nation. These are aside the 5 key enablers that he believed will drive his philosophy to fruition,” he said.

Afenifere: ECOWAS Intervention Has Further Submerged Nigeria in Needless Crises

Afenifere, yesterday, said hasty decision by the ECOWAS, led by President Tinubu, to intervene in the internal affairs of Niger republic, not excluding the possibility of military option, has further submerged Nigeria in needless crises affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.
The group stated this in a communique issued at the end of its general meeting held at the country home of its leader, Ayo Adebanjo at Isanya-ogbo, Ogun State, dated August 8, 2023.

The communique provided by the Secretary General of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, noted that Nigeria and Niger were not only culturally interrelated but also socioeconomically interdependent, thus, any armed conflict in Niger would have harmful effects on Nigeria.
“Afenifere condemned unreservedly, the currently military takeover of the Government of the Republic of Niger and declared that there is no justifiable reason for such an undemocratic act.

“That in the same manner in which the removal of oil subsidy was announced and currently plunged the nation into a myriad of socioeconomic problems, the cavalier and hasty decision by the ECOWAS to intervene in the internal affairs of Niger not excluding the possibility of the military option, has further submerged Nigeria in needless crises affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.

“That while Afenifere believes that Nigeria cannot afford stand aloof on matters affecting the stability and peace of the West African sub-region, nay Africa, it owes overriding duty to the national interests of Nigeria and her citizens. That Nigeria and Niger are not only culturally interrelated but also socioeconomically interdependent. Thus any armed conflict in Niger will have harmful effects on Nigeria.”

While noting that Nigeria could ill-afford the price of war in Niger with costs in money, materials and men and collateral damage to the ancient and sustained relationships between the two countries, it called on the ECOWAS to adopt the option of diplomacy in dealing with the issue in Niger.
The group urged the Nigerien military to see the illegality and futility of usurping the sovereignty of the people of Niger to democratically decide who rules them and immediately return to the path of constitutionality which restricts their duty to the defence of the territorial integrity of the Nigerien state.

CAN Denounces Plans for Military Intervention

The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the leadership of ECOWAS to adopt a diplomatic approach in handling the development in Niger Republic.
The President of the Christian body, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, made the call in statement, yesterday, while commending Tinubu and the authority of the ECOWAS Heads of Government for their unwavering commitment to discouraging coups d’état and the forceful takeover of power.

But he said CAN was deeply committed to promoting justice, peace, hence urged the president to remain on the path of dialogue and avoid any form of military intervention or measures that would create enmity between the good people of Nigeria and Niger.
“We firmly believe that the path to lasting peace lies in upholding democratic processes, respecting the sovereignty of nations, and engaging in peaceful dialogue to address grievances and resolve conflicts. We applaud their commendable efforts in resolving the crisis currently faced by our neighbours in the Republic of Niger.

“CAN fully recognises the gravity of the situation in Niger and the importance of upholding democratic principles, peace, and stability within the West African region. We believe that the peaceful resolution of conflicts is vital for the progress and well-being of our nations and our people.
“We applaud President Ahmed Tinubu for adopting a diplomatic approach in addressing the crisis by sending a high-level delegation, led by the eminent statesman General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to engage with the Nigerien authorities.
“This diplomatic overture demonstrates President Tinubu’s commitment to peaceful dialogue and his belief in the power of constructive engagement to foster understanding and resolve conflicts.

“Furthermore, we commend the inclusion of the esteemed Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, in the delegation. This representation showcases the unity of purpose and the collaborative spirit of Nigerian leaders, transcending religious and ethnic boundaries to jointly pursue peace in our region.
“In conclusion, we implore all stakeholders involved in this matter to embrace peaceful negotiations, exercise restraint, and tirelessly work towards a sustainable resolution of the crisis in Niger. It is crucial to remember that peace is a collective responsibility, and only through joint efforts and unwavering commitment can we build a future of progress, stability, and prosperity for our nations.”

KACRAN Seeks Review of Planned Military Action

Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), has called on ECOWAS to review its proposed military action in Niger, in a bid to compel a return to democratic order.
The group, in a statement by it’s National President, Hon Khalil Mohd Bello, said there was hardly any good the military action in Niger would yield.
“We are totally not in support of any economic sanction against Niger Republic for the reason that the sanction would be more harmful and disastrous to the poor masses of Niger, Nigeria and her other neighbours than on the culprits and their surrogates.

“We are against any military intervention by ECOWAS or European countries for the reason that the said act would create more insecurity in Niger, Nigeria and other Sahelian states as this will lead to unnecessary fight between the intervention force and the Niger Republic army and the civilians, who would be deluded by the military under the cover of nationalism to join the fight as volunteers.
“There is a tendency that, the process of restoring democracy in the said country under the able leadership of President Bazoum, the risk that the President and his good family might be affected.

“The possibility of the success in the said military action is highly questionable, because even if they succeeded in bringing him back to power, they wouldn’t stay there permanently to defend his government as we have seen in the cases of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.
“The military action in Niger Republic as in any west African states would directly affect pastoral occupation in the entire region. It will make the free movement of livestock from one state to another in search of animal feeds and water points as stipulated in the ECOWAS rules extremely difficult which would bring another problem to our members.

“The action would seriously lead to the widespread of terrorists and their terrorism activities in Niger, Nigeria and Sahelian states, because if ECOWAS succeeded in defeating  the culprits, there is the tendency that they would move with their guns into hinterlands and forcing people to join the bandits just like that of Boko-haram insurgency days.”

Change Strategies in Niger, Prominent Nigerians Urge

A group of respected Nigerians, under the auspices of Concerned Citizens have asked President Bola Tinubu to change the strategies he has deployed so far in Niger.
In an open letter to the President, the group which comprises prominent Nigerians, said, “Niger is a very dear, brotherly and supportive neighbour to Nigeria and its people and measures taken should not be allowed to harm the Nigerien people.”

Members of the group include Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud SAN, Prof Jibrin Ibrahim, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (Rtd.), Prof Attahiru Jega, Prof Muhammad Kuna, Dr Kole Shettima, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, Kabiru Adamu, Moufta’u Baba Ahmed, Dr. Usman Bugaje and Dr. Yahya Hashim
They insisted that cutting off electricity supply to Niger, breaking a longstanding treaty obligation, may ultimately harm Nigeria’s interest especially within the perspective of the Kandadji dam currently under construction by the Nigerien Government.

They added that the apparent rising wave of popular support for the putschists might create a situation in which the role of Nigeria is seen as being at variance with the interest of the Nigerien people and in support of external interests.
“Already, there is an orchestrated campaign in the social and traditional media portraying Nigeria in a negative light as an agent of France and the United States.
“The strong presence of French, American and to a lesser extent Italian security personnel and assets, including a large US drone base, creates a situation that could easily transform an intervention for the restoration of democracy into a complex proxy war fought out by foreign interests engaged in the new geopolitical repositioning of world powers.

“In this regard, the current security challenges of insecurity around the Boko Haram insurgency, farmer-herder conflicts, banditry and mass kidnapping might all be exacerbated as the flow of arms, violent extremism and armed banditry spread and deepen in our sub-region.
“Nigeria has a serious humanitarian crisis, with millions of internally displaced persons and hundreds of thousands of refugees including in Niger. It is important to prevent the worsening of the humanitarian crisis. It is, therefore, important that as a nation, we align our approach to the restoration of democracy in Niger to our national interests.”