Niger Coup: Dialogue stalls, as more sanctions hit Niger
…African Union suspends Niger, directs States to implement sanctions imposed by ECOWAS
…El-Rufai, Fani-Kayode caution ECOWAS against military intervention
…ECOWAS envoy submits report
By Moses Adeniyi
Efforts to explore peace talk with the military junta which seized power in the Republic of Niger to restore back President Mohamed Bazoum who was ousted July 26, have not yielded headway as terms put forth by the coupists set difficult situation before the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Although ECOWAS Envoy to Niger Republic, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Tuesday formally presented the terms given by the military junta to the ECOWAS for the settlement of the political crisis in the Country, it was gathered the terms were still not embracing to the 15-nation community.
Abdulsalami, who is a former Nigerian Military Head of State, while speaking to news men on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, said “diplomacy will see the better” of the face off, but also acknowledged ECOWAS’ stand of military option should diplomatic talks fail.
General Abdulsalami, who had over the last weekend held a meeting with the ousted President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, and the leaders of the junta in the country, said he had delivered the terms of the Abdouramane Tchiani-led junta to ECOWAS.
According to him, there have been exchange of correspondences between the West African regional bloc and the military junta in Niger, noting that the line of contact opened by ECOWAS through his appointment as envoy had been very fruitful.
Abdulsalami who expressed hope that something concrete will soon come out of the situation, said, “As you are aware, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have made me an envoy to Niger Republic and we were there over the weekend to see the military people and discussed to find a way out of the lacuna we find ourselves.
“So that’s why I’m here this afternoon, together with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, to give a report back to Mr. President on our discussions in Niger. I must say that our visit to Niger has been very fruitful and that it has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we will get somewhere.”
Speaking on the divergence of position between ECOWAS and the junta on the terms of return to democratic rule, he said “well, like I said, we have started talking, they have made their own points and then I made my report to the Chairman of the ECOWAS Heads of state and President. He will now consult with his colleagues and then the ding-dong starts and we will get somewhere hopefully.”
On the possibility of military action, he said, “Hopefully diplomacy will see the better of this. Nobody wants to go to war, it doesn’t pay anybody, but then again, our leaders have said if all fails and I don’t think all will fail, we will get somewhere we will get out of this mess.”
In attendance at the meeting were the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
…African Union suspends Niger, directs States to implement sanctions imposed by ECOWAS
Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) on Tuesday suspended Niger from all of its institutions and activities following the refusal of the junta to restore back democratic rule.
The AU consequently, “immediately suspended” the participation of the Republic of Niger from all activities of the AU and its Organs and institutions until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the country.
Also, the AU called on Member States to fully implement the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on Niger.
In a communique issued on Tuesday, the bloc stated specifically that its decision to suspend Niger followed the failure of the military junta to hand over power to the democratically elected President, Mohammed Bazoum.
“The AU decides, in line with the relevant AU instruments, in particular, the AU Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, to immediately suspend the participation of the Republic of Niger from all activities of the AU and its Organs and institutions until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the country.
“The AU in this regard, calls upon all Member States of the AU and the international community including bilateral and multilateral partners, at large to reject this unconstitutional change of government and to refrain from any action likely to grant legitimacy to the illegal regime in Niger,” the AU said.
The AU commended the efforts of ECOWAS to ensure a return to democratic rule in Niger, saying, “The AU commends the efforts of ECOWAS under the leadership of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and calls on AU Member States to fully implement the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and endorsed by the PSC and requests the Commission, in consultation with ECOWAS, to regularly inform the Council on the progress being made on the implementation of the imposed sanctions.”
…El-Rufai, Fani-Kayode caution ECOWAS against military intervention
Meanwhile, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai and a former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode have cautioned ECOWAS against invasion of Niger Republic by military force.
El-Rufai in a tweet described a war against the Niger Republic as a “war between brothers,” stating that “the people of the Niger Republic are one and the same as those living in Northern Nigeria.”
El-Rufai who openly declared support for President Tinubu during the 2023 general election campaigns and was nominated for ministerial position but rejected by the Senate, said, “TUESDAY THOUGHT: As ECOWAS beats the drums of war, I recall the 1970s rock classic by Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms,’ because a war within our subregion is a war between brothers. Indeed, the people of the Niger Republic are one and the same as those living in Northern Nigeria. Let us bend therefore over backwards to avoid this civil war between brothers.”
On his part, Fani-Kayode, in a recent essay Titled “BEWARE OF COUP BELT,” said that attacking Niger Republic would have dire consequences on the economy and security of Nigeria, stating the matter must be approached with caution.
“We must approach the entire matter with the utmost caution, wisdom and care.
“If the Niger Republic and her allies deliberately open a corridor for the elements of ISIS, AQIM, ISWAP etc to move into Benin and Togo, ECOWAS’ weakest link, then the whole of Nigeria’s western borders, from Sokoto to Lagos, would be vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
“Already some of the elements have penetrated into Niger State, around Borgu and Shiriro, very close to the Benin Republic and some states in the South West of Nigeria,” he said.
In subscription to democratic rule, other nations as Russia and South Africa had equally called for the restoration of democracy in Niger, including the North African countries of Algeria and Libya.
Recall that last Friday, August 18, 2023, the ECOWAS military leaders met in Accra, Ghana, to examine whether military intervention in Niger would be feasible.
Recall that the military coupists told ECOWAS, last week, it has begun a 3-year transition plan to return the Country to democratic rule, a decision that has been rejected by the ECOWAS.
Although the military junta mentioned they are now open to dialogue after rejecting envoys sent from different bodies’, the terms given appeared to be irreconcilable with ECOWAS’ demands.
Moves by ECOWAS to compel the coupists in Niger to restore back Muhamed Bazoum as President have been resisted by the latter, even with threats of sanctions.
Among the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS has been closure of borders while cutting off trading ties with the landlocked country.
However, Nigerians have lamented they are suffering more of the brunt economically than their Nigeriens counterparts.
For instance, the Arewa Economic Forum (AEF) had lamented that over N13 billion of agricultural produce is being lost weekly since the Nigeria-Niger border closure.
Among other bodies, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had warned the ECOWAS against the use of military force to remove the military junta in Niger Republic.
The outcry grew when ECOWAS, following the second Extraordinary Summit on the Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger in Abuja on Thursday 13th August, ordered its standby force against military junta in Niger Republic.
The Niger military leaders who seized power last month have formed a new government, according to a decree read out on national television barely two weeks now.
Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown and detained on July 26 by his own guards, led by Tchiani, who proclaimed himself the new president of the nation.
After the coup that toppled Mohamed Bazoum, ECOWAS had earlier said it was seeking a diplomatic solution but has not ruled out using force to resolve the crisis.
The 15-nation organisation gave the troops who seized power on July 26 until Sunday August 06, to reinstate Bazoum or face the potential use of force.
However, the coup leaders have shunned the warning, making more moves to legitimise a new government even after the deadline elapsed.
The Country’s borders were afterwards shut down by the interim National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, disregarding security pacts with France, Niger’s former colonial power.
ECOWAS also froze the assets of the rebels and suspended all financial help to the nation on July 30. The sub-regional union also blocked all borders and forbade commercial flights into and out of the nation.
