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On Friday, the Senate was formally notified by President Bola Tinubu regarding the decisions made by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) concerning the political situation in Niger Republic.
In the letter, President Tinubu earnestly seeks the Senate’s support for ECOWAS’ decision, which includes military intervention to restore democracy in the neighboring country.
On July 26, President Mohamed Bazoum was detained and overthrown by his own guard, marking the third coup d’état in the region in as many years, following takeovers in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.
ECOWAS has issued an ultimatum to the Niger military, giving them a week from Sunday to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, or face more severe sanctions. President Tinubu emphasizes the importance of swift action to uphold democratic principles and stability in the region.
Tinubu’s letter stated, “Following the unfortunate political situation in the Niger Republic, which culminated in the overthrow of its President, ECOWAS under my leadership condemned the coup in its entirety and resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected government.
In an effort to restore peace, ECOWAS convened a meeting and issued a communique outlining the following actions:
- Closure and monitoring of all land borders with the Niger Republic and reactivating the border drilling exercise.
- Cutting off electricity supply to the Niger Republic.
- Mobilizing international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.
- Preventing the operation of commercial and special flights into and from the Niger Republic.
- Blockade of goods in transit to Niger, especially from Lagos and eastern seaports.
These measures are aimed at addressing the political instability in the region and supporting the return of the democratically elected government in Niger.”
“Undertaking a campaign to raise awareness among Nigerians regarding the importance of certain actions, with a particular focus on utilizing social media platforms. As a contingency measure, there is a readiness to deploy military forces for intervention to enforce compliance with the military junta in Niger, should they persist in being uncooperative.
On Thursday, the former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, cautioned the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) against resorting to military hostilities as a means of resolving the leadership crisis in Niger Republic.
Atiku expressed concerns over the potential negative consequences of employing military force, stating that such actions could further worsen the existing situation. He advocated for diplomatic approaches, emphasizing the need to sustain open channels for dialogue.”
