TheNewsGuru

Tag: niger

  • Implications of ECOWAS military invasion of Niger for Nigeria – Shehu Sani

    Implications of ECOWAS military invasion of Niger for Nigeria – Shehu Sani

    Sen. Shehu Sani, a former Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, says military incursion into Niger Republic by an ECOWAS standby force will be synonymous with a declaration of war by Nigeria.

    Sani expressed this thought in an interview with NAN in Abuja.

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said on Thursday that it had ordered the deployment of a “standby force’’ to Niger to restore constitutional order in the country.

    The order was given after the junta who took over power from President Mohamed Bazoum on July 2, defied an Aug. 6 ultimatum issued by ECOWAS leaders for the junta to revert to status quo.

    Sani said there was nothing wrong in applying pressure on the junta in Niger after the coup but deploying military force against the junta in the Francophone country sharing the northern border with Nigeria had a lot of implications.

    “Armed invasion of Niger by ECOWAS will simply be a war between Nigeria and Niger because Nigeria foots the bills of ECOWAS.

    “If we are going to get into war with the Nger Republic, what will be the future of states like Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Yobe, and Borno that share borders with Niger? What will be the fate of people living in these areas?

    “Right now there are more than 303,000 Nigerian refugees that were sacked by terrorist groups living in villages in Niger Republic,’’ he said.

    According to him, in the 1990s, the West pledged support for Nigeria and for the Economic Community Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) to move into Liberia, and Sierra Leone to restore peace and Nigeria took the mandate on the basis that they would get the support they needed.

    “Nigeria moved into Liberia and the Francophone countries refused to join the ECOMOG. Senegal joined but after a few of its soldiers were killed it pulled out leaving only Nigeria and a few other smaller West African countries.

    “Only one person served as an ECOMOG commander from Ghana. All the other commanders from the beginning to the end of the war were Nigerian.

    “Nigeria ended up spending 8 billion dollars according to figures provided recently by the former Chief of Defense Staff Lt.-Gen. Lucky Irabor.

    “These were monies that could have been used to connect the states by railway lines but we blew it in Liberia and the support never came,” he said.

    According to him, If we get into an armed confrontation with Niger Republic, in the 21st century there is no one-week war. There is no one-month war. It is years of war.

    “Saudi Arabia moved its troops into Yemen, thinking that would bring an end to Houthi rebels and restore order. But it is still there now for five to six years.

    “Russia moved into Ukraine thinking it would bring an end to the Ukraine government but it is still there for more than a year. America went to war in Afghanistan and it fought the war with the Taliban for 20 years – 2001 to 2021 – only to pull out leaving the Taliban to take back power.

    “What resources do we have to prosecute a war? Does our military have the experience to fight a war in the Sahel, or the desert?

    “The coup happened when the French and U.S. had military bases in Niger.

    “If these could not stop the coup, they could not protect Bazoum, and they could not restore Bazoum to power, is it the Nigerian army that has security challenges in Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa that will neglect these places and go fight a war in Niger?,” he questioned.

  • ECOWAS Parliament holds extra-ordinary session to discuss Niger

    ECOWAS Parliament holds extra-ordinary session to discuss Niger

    The ECOWAS Parliament will on Saturday, Aug. 12 hold an Extra-Ordinary Session via the web to exhaustively discuss the recent political developments in the Republic of Niger.

    This is contained in a statement by the Communications Division of the parliament.

    The parliament said that within the context of giant changes that occurred in the politico-economic spectrum of the world in the late 1980s, several ECOWAS member states were motivated to take decisive steps towards achieving peace and security through the development of democracy and good governance by the early 1990s.

    “Thus, the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance came into force in 2001, marking an important stage in the sub-region’s political development.

    “Military regimes and one-party systems caved in for the emergence of multi-Party democracies.

    “Nevertheless, recent political developments in the region are pointing toward a reversal of the political gains of the past two decades.

    “There is a resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government through military coup d’etat, as recorded in four Member States of the sub-region, namely: the Republics of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and most recently, Niger,’’ the parliament observed.

    It said consequent upon such developments, the day-long session would see the 115-member parliament considering the emerging developments, following the unconstitutional change of government by the military of the Republic of Niger.

    Niger’s military last month imprisoned President Mohamed Bazoum and assumed power, drawing condemnation from international powers and raising the spectre of further conflict in the impoverished Sahel region of West Africa which is already overrun by a deadly Islamist insurgency.

    The ECOWAS Parliament has a total of 115 seats and 14 Standing Committees.

    Each member state is guaranteed a minimum of allotted five seats, with the remaining 40 seats distributed in proportion to the population of each country.

    Consequently, Nigeria has a total of 35 seats, followed by Ghana with eight seats.

    Côte d’Ivoire is allotted seven seats, while Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal have six seats respectively.

    The remaining ECOWAS member states, namely Benin, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo, have allotted to each of them, five seats.

  • U.S. to hold Niger military junta accountable for Bazoum’s safety

    U.S. to hold Niger military junta accountable for Bazoum’s safety

    The United States would hold the junta that took power in Niger Republic accountable for the safety of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, his family, and detained members of the government.

    “The United States joins the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in calling for the restoration of constitutional order in Niger,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

    The United States recently paused certain foreign assistance programs for Niger after the military junta overthrew the democratically elected president.

    West Africa’s regional bloc on Thursday ordered the activation of a standby force for possible use against the junta that took power in Niger in July.

    It said it wanted a peaceful restoration of democracy but all options, including force, were on the table.

    According to Blinken, the United States appreciates the determination of ECOWAS to explore all options for the peaceful resolution of the crisis.

    The threat of an invasion, though not specific, raises tensions in and around Niger, a uranium producer that until the coup, was an important ally of the West in the fight against Islamist insurgents devastating the Sahel region.

    The junta, which seized power on July 26, had defied an Aug. 6 deadline to stand down set by ECOWAS, instead closed Niger’s airspace and vowing to defend the country against any foreign attack.

    The bloc pledged to enforce sanctions, travel bans and asset freezes on those preventing the return to power of Bazoum.

  • After ECOWAS military order, Niger junta threaten to kill ousted president, Bazoum

    After ECOWAS military order, Niger junta threaten to kill ousted president, Bazoum

    After nine leaders from the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met Thursday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to discuss their next steps, Niger’s junta has threatened to kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

    ECOWAS reiterated its earlier threat and ordered the activation of its standby force.

    According to The Associated Press, the coup leaders disclosed to a top U.S. diplomat threatening to take action if neighboring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule.

    The threat to the deposed president raises the stakes both for ECOWAS and for the junta, which has shown its willingness to escalate its actions since it seized power on July 26.

    Niger was seen as the last country in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert that Western nations could partner with to counter jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that has killed thousands and displaced millions of people. The international community is scrambling to find a peaceful solution to the country’s leadership crisis.

    Representatives of the junta told U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week, a Western military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

    A U.S. official confirmed that account, also speaking on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

    The threats from both sides escalate tensions but hopefully nudge them closer to actually talking, said Aneliese Bernard, a former U.S. State Department official who specialized in African affairs and is now director of Strategic Stabilization Advisors, a risk advisory group.

    “Still, this junta has escalated its moves so quickly that it’s possible they do something more extreme, as that has been their approach so far,” she cautioned.

    Speaking after the decision made between the member states in Abuja, ECOWAS commission president Omar Alieu Touray said he could only reaffirm the decisions by “the military authorities in the subregion to deploy a standby force of the community.”

    Financing had been discussed and “appropriate measures have been taken,” he said.

    He blamed the junta for any hardship caused by the sanctions imposed on Niger and said further actions by the bloc would be taken jointly.

    “It is not one country against another country. The community has instruments to which all members have subscribed to,” he said.

  • ECOWAS Heads make decision on Niger crisis

    ECOWAS Heads make decision on Niger crisis

    The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have 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, disclosed this at the end of the second extraordinary summit on the political situation in the Niger Republic on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that the military chiefs of the region have also been given further directive to activate the standby force to serve as a last option in restoring constitutional government of President Mohammed Bazoum.

    ‘’Direct the President of the Commission to monitor the implementation of the sanctions.

    ‘’Direct the Committee of the chief of defense 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 that the 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, President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chair ECOWAS Heads of States and Government, said that the body was still optimistic of achieving a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

    He said that the ECOWAS Heads were desirous of reaching a consensus on the crisis as a way of setting exemplary precedence in the region against undemocratic change of government.

    ‘’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. Only through this comprehensive assessment can we collectively chart a sustainable path towards lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger.

    ‘’More so, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize 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.’’

    Tinubu further said that all hope was not lost in gaining peace in Niger, adding that it’s a duty to done by the regional bloc.

    “All is not lost yet. The outcome of this summit is a testament to the power of collaboration and unity. We have reaffirmed our commitment to the people of Niger and to the progress of entire ECOWAS community.
    *We will continue with that. And you will see from the communique of this extraordinary summit that no option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.
    “If we don’t do it, no one else will do it for us. We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Niger in the journey towards peaceful democratic stability in the country,” he said.

    Some of the resolutions at the last summit include the closure of all land and air borders between 15-member ECOWAS nations and Niger.

    The Niger military and anybody backing the coup will no longer enjoy any financial transaction within the region either as government or individuals, he said.

    Similarly, travel ban was placed on the junta, its officials and families until the restoration of democratic institutions.

  • Niger’s ousted president running low on food under house arrest 2 weeks after coup

    Niger’s ousted president running low on food under house arrest 2 weeks after coup

    Niger’s deposed president is running out of food and experiencing other increasingly dire conditions two weeks after he was ousted in a military coup and put under house arrest, an advisor told the media on Wednesday.

    President Mohamed Bazoum, the West African nation’s democratically elected leader, has been held at the presidential palace in Niamey with his wife and son since mutinous soldiers moved against him on July 26.

    The family is living without electricity and only has rice and canned goods left to eat, the advisor said. Bazoum remains in good health for now and will never resign, according to the advisor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the sensitive situation with the media.

    Bazoum’s political party issued a statement confirming the president’s living conditions and said the family also was without running water.

    U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Bazoum on Tuesday about recent diplomatic efforts, a spokesman said, and Blinken “emphasized that the safety and security of President Bazoum and his family are paramount.”

    This week, Niger’s new military junta took steps to entrench itself in power and rejected international efforts to mediate.

    However, Monday, the junta named a new prime minister, civilian economist Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine. Zeine is a former economy and finance minister who left office after a previous coup in 2010 toppled the government at the time. He later worked at the African Development Bank.

    “The establishment of a government is significant and signals, at least to the population, that they have a plan in place, with support from across the government,” Aneliese Bernard, a former U.S. State Department official who specialised in African affairs and is now director of Strategic Stabilisation Advisors, a risk advisory group.

    Meanwhile, the junta also refused to admit meditation teams from the United Nations, the African Union, and West African regional bloc ECOWAS, citing “evident reasons of security in this atmosphere of menace,” according to a letter seen by The Associated Press.

    ECOWAS had threatened to use military force if the junta didn’t reinstate Bazoum by Sunday, a deadline that the junta ignored and which passed without action from ECOWAS. The bloc is expected to meet again Thursday to discuss the situation.

    It’s been exactly two weeks since soldiers first detained Bazoum and seized power, claiming they could do a better job at protecting the nation from jihadi violence. Groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have ravaged the Sahel region, a vast expanse south of the Sahara Desert that includes part of Niger.

    Most analysts and diplomats said the stated justification for the coup did not hold weight and the takeover resulted from a power struggle between the president and the head of his presidential guard, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who now says he runs the country.

    The coup comes as a blow to many countries in the West, which saw Niger as one of the last democratic partners in the region they could work with to beat back the extremist threat. It’s also an important supplier of uranium.

    Niger’s partners have threatened to cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance if it does not return to constitutional rule.

    While the crisis drags on, Niger’s 25 million people are bearing the brunt. It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, and many Nigeriens live hand to mouth and say they’re too focused on finding food for their families to pay much attention to the escalating crisis.

    Harsh economic and travel sanctions imposed by ECOWAS since the coup have caused food prices to rise by up to 5%, say traders. Erkmann Tchibozo, a shop owner from neighbouring Benin who works in Niger’s capital, Niamey, said it’s been hard to get anything into the country to stock his shop near the airport.

  • Tinubu tasks ECOWAS leaders on diplomatic options in Niger crisis

    Tinubu tasks ECOWAS leaders on diplomatic options in Niger crisis

    President Bola Tinubu has charged member Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS to continue to consider all options in finding a peaceful resolution to the Niger Republic political crises.

    He stated this at the 2nd Extraordinary Summit on the Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger on Thursday in Abuja.

    Tinubu, who is the Chair of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, said that the decisions must be to the benefits of the people of Niger and the sub-region.

    ‘’It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions and identify any gaps or challenges that may have hindered progress. Only through this comprehensive assessment can we collectively chart a sustainable path towards lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger.

    ‘’Moreso, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize 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.’’

    The president, however, urged the leaders to recognise that the political crisis in Niger republic poses a threat to the stability of the nation and a far-reaching implication for the sub-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.’’

    He added that the summit would be a defining moment towards a stronger, more resilience and integrated West Africa.

    ‘’Let us seize this opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of our fellow Africans as we strive to build a future defined by peace, progress, and prosperity,’’ he said.

    Tinubu commended the various envoys deployed on mediation mission to Niger, Libya and other partner countries.

    In attendance at the summit are Presidents Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco of Guinea Bissau, and Everiste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.

    Others are Presidents Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, Nana Akofo-Ado of Ghana, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Patrice Talon of  Benin Republic.

    Also present were retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Babagana Kingibe and the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Sa’ad III.

    On July 28,in a swift response to military coup in Niger Republic, ECOWAS enforced a no-flight zone over the country.

    The decision was announced by the ECOWAS, at an urgent meeting following the increasing tension stirred by the military actors who are attempting to take over in Niger.

    This significant move which includes air and land border closure, is seen as a crucial reaction to the recent ascendancy of the junta, which has stirred significant unrest in the country and poses a threat to political stability within the region.

    The ECOWAS leadership believes that the imposition of a no-flight zone will help curb the junta’s influence and hinder any potential allies from providing aerial support, even as leaders of the coup fear that the regional body could stage an imminent military intervention in the capital of the Sahel country.

    In addition to the no-flight zone, the regional body has agreed on immediate financial sanctions over the coup, and has given the junta a week to cede power, while noting that a use of force has not been ruled out.

    ECOWAS also insisted that President Mohamed Bazoum remains recognized as president of Niger, and called upon member states and the international community to uphold and respect this decision, in an effort to help restore peace and stability in the republic.

    Speaking at the emergency meeting which he presided over today, President Tinubu denounced the coup by military leaders in Niger Republic, saying Africa has come of age.

  • VIDEO: WATCH moment dethroned Niger President, Bazoum walks out of detention

    VIDEO: WATCH moment dethroned Niger President, Bazoum walks out of detention

    A video clip has emerged online showing how ousted president of Niger Republic Mohamed Bazoum was casually accompanied out of detention by unarmed soldiers yesterday.

    TNG recalls President Bazoum was overthrown on July 26th by the army in a bloodless coup d’etat which led to his detention.

    WATCH:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Media/News Company (@thenewsgurung)

  • Nigeria-Niger border closure: Customs enforces presidential directive

    Nigeria-Niger border closure: Customs enforces presidential directive

    Following the recent overthrow of a democratically elected government in Niger Republic, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has begun implementation of presidential directive on closure of the Nigeria-Niger border.

    The Acting Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, re-echoed President Bola Tinubu’s reason for taking the action, noting that the measure was not meant to bring hardship on Nigerians.

    The CGC, who was on a working visit to Illela Border Station to monitor implementation of the exercise, expressed delight with the level of compliance by residents.

    He said the restriction was a decision taken by ECOWAS, which the Nigerian President chairs, adding that the government is optimistic that the effort will yield results and restore peace.

    He also said the exercise would secure Nigeria’s democracy and social stability, given the current state of uncertainty in neighbouring Niger Republic.

    On whether the exercise will affect customs’ revenue generation, the CGC said the Service was aware of the situation and had already taken proactive steps to address it strategically.

    He reiterated that the Tinubu administration is committed to protecting the well-being of citizens, and their businesses, expressing optimism that borders would soon be opened for businesses to thrive.

    The Comptroller General also engaged traditional rulers and other stakeholders at the Illela border. Aminu Dan-Iya, chairman, Association of Customs Licensed Agents, who spoke on behalf of stakeholders, consoled residents regarding the restriction, saying the decision would benefit all.

    Acting Comptroller General, Mrs. Caroline Adepoju, made the call while addressing personnel at the Illela border, yesterday. Adepoju also underscored the need for intelligence gathering to forestall any security issue.

    She said: “Here, the bandits have challenged us by attacking our men and even killing some of them. Security is the business of everyone. We are going to work; we need the support of our sister agencies and the people who live in border communities.

    “Migration is important, even to economic growth, but we don’t want bad people that have a negative impact on our security. So, we are going to fight them and stop them from coming to our country.”

     

  • Niger crisis requires collective efforts, public diplomacy to achieve results– Sanusi

    Niger crisis requires collective efforts, public diplomacy to achieve results– Sanusi

    Mohammad Sanusi, the 14th Emir of Kano has expressed his views on the ongoing crisis in Niger Republic, saying that addressing this situation demands a collective effort involving public diplomacy, which should not be solely entrusted to the government.

    Sanusi declared this position during his interaction with journalists after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The ex-Emir of Kano, who arrived at the State House around 8:25 pm, explained that he had come to update President Tinubu about his discussions with the leaders of the military junta responsible for the overthrow of the democratically elected government in Niger.

    Sanusi stated, “I came to brief him on the intricacies of my conversations with the leaders of Niger.

    “We are committed to facilitating dialogue between the two parties to enhance mutual understanding. This is a time for public diplomacy, a matter that involves not just governments but all Nigerians and Nigeriens, aiming to devise a solution beneficial for Africa, Niger, Nigeria, and humanity.”

    When asked about reports suggesting that he acted independently rather than as part of a government delegation, he clarified, “No, I wasn’t dispatched by the government. Government officials were informed of my intention to go, but it was a personal initiative on my part, leveraging my personal connections to facilitate the trip. I will persist in my efforts. As a leader, it is my responsibility.”

    He also shared that he was well received by the military authorities in Niger during his visit.

    TNG recalls Sanusi was given a red carpet reception in Niamey after diplomatic shuttles embarked upon by AU, US, ECOWAS had all failed flatly.