Above: Sacked Bazoum, below: ‘incumbent’ Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani
“There is tension,” a Nigerian on ground in Niger said, but he did not think there will be reprisal attacks against his fellow countrymen, if situations went south, in view of whispers of a planned military attack against officers and men of the Nigerien army, who sacked their President last week Wednesday
“I do not think they will attack us as Nigerians because there are more of them in Nigeria than we are here, he added.
He, however, agreed to be on the alert for any eventuality.
A while ago, Niger cut off ties with Nigeria, Togo, France, and the United States. The military rulers there announced the termination of the functions of the Republic of Niger’s ambassadors to the aforementioned countries.
Troops of the US and France have already been given marching orders out of the country.
The military junta in Niger Republic has also effectively activated worst-case scenario manoeuvres, should the United States of America, France, or any of their allies initiate military moves against the leaders of the coup that ousted President Mohammed Bazoum, their supporters, or against the country.
Nigeria is strongly believed to be an ally of France and the US, amid suggestions that both super powers are the unseen hands behind ECOWAS moving against the military adventurers in Niger.
The moves of the Nigerien leaders, led by General Tchiani, come against the backdrop of ‘last card’ moves by the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, and Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has dispatched a delegation to the neighbouring country with a mandate to expeditiously resolve the current political impasse in the country.
The delegation is headed for Niamey, the country’s capital to see the leaders of the junta, as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denies it has received a military order for an intervention in the troubled country, where presidential guards staged a coup that removed President Mohamed Bazoum.
DHQ suggested that a military card is not off the table, but said it would be a last-ditch effort.
The delegation to Niger, according to Presidential spokesman, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, was sent there in line with the resolution reached at the end of the extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS held last weekend in Abuja.
The delegation, headed by former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), left for Niamey on Thursday following a briefing by President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
The former Nigerian Head of State is 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.
The President has also sent a separate delegation led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe to engage with the leaders of Libya and Algeria on the Niger crisis.
Briefing the two delegations, President Tinubu charged them to engage all stakeholders robustly with a view to doing whatever it takes to ensure a conclusive and amicable resolution of the situation in Niger for the purposes of African peace and development rather than a move to adopt the geopolitical positions of other nations.
“We don’t want to hold brief for anybody. Our concern is democracy and the peace of the region,” the President said.
Speaking after the meeting, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) said his team was sent to express the displeasure of the leaders of the sub-region with the developments in Niger to those who hijacked power in the country.
“We have just been given our marching orders to go to Niger and convey the feelings of our heads of state in the region that they are not happy with what happened. And they gave them an ultimatum that the coupists should desist from what they are doing and give back power to an elected President and again, to make sure that this message is sent loud and clear to them.
“That’s what we are here for. So far, we are going there to convey this message to them and hear their response and report back what they have said”, Abubakar said.
On his part, Kingibe said talking with Libya and Algeria, two countries bordering Niger to the North, would stimulate the solidarity required for peaceful talks.
“Of course, this kind of situation requires solidarity. It requires coordination with all parties that are relevant to the situation.
“In that regard, Libya and Algeria are also very important neighbours of Niger. So, my mission is to go there with a message from President Tinubu. To brief them on the ECOWAS position and solicit solidarity and cooperation…
“We hope to find a diplomatic solution. Nobody wants to go to war, especially with neighbourly, brotherly people across the border with whom we share a common language, culture and religion.”
Both leaders of the two missions expressed optimism on the outcome of the assignments.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Director of Defence Information, said it was not true a trending report that the Armed Forces of Nigeria were assembling troops for a potential military action in response to the situation in Niger.
His words: “The AFN is yet to receive any order from the appropriate authority to commence military action, against the Military Junta in Niger.
“It’s no longer news that some members of the Republic of Niger Armed Forces seized power from a democratically elected government through unconstitutional means. In reaction to this illegal takeover of government, the ECOWAS Heads of Government met and a series of options were reached on how to intervene in the crisis.
“Military option was the last option to be taken in case every other option fails to reverse the situation and return the Government of the Republic of Niger to constitutional order.
“At the moment, the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff is currently holding an extraordinary meeting in Abuja to discuss the political situation in the Republic of Niger and submit their plans to the committee of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS for consideration.
“In conclusion, the Armed Forces of Nigeria cannot proceed on any operation in any of the member states of ECOWAS without the mandate from the Authority of Heads of States and Government.”
Recall that Mali and Burkina Faso have jointly refused to enforce the “illegal, illegitimate, and inhuman” sanctions imposed by ECOWAS against the people and authorities of Niger.
In a joint press statement earlier this week the countries, also led by coup plotters who sacked their commanders-in-chief, maintained that any military intervention against Niger would be considered a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali. They have threatened to leave the the economic community of the sub-region, if the military intervention happened.
The joint statement denounced the ECOWAS sanctions as unjust and harmful to the people and government of Niger. According to them, by standing together against these sanctions, both countries underscore their commitment to protecting the sovereignty and stability of their fellow West African nation.
The joint committee between Mali and Burkina Faso demonstrates their mutual determination to address regional issues and concerns collectively. It highlights the importance of dialogue and diplomatic solutions to regional challenges, rather than resorting to punitive measures that may exacerbate tensions and conflict, they added.
