Don’t invade Niger Republic- Northern broadcasters forum cautions Tinubu, ECOWAS

By Mustapha Mustapha On Aug 6, 2023

Bola Tinubu, leaders, ,UN General Assembly — President Tinubu to address world leaders at UN General Assembly Sept. 19

The Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum (ABMPF) has expressed great concern over the planned move by the West African Regional bloc, ECOWAS, spearheaded by the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmad Tinubu, to meddle into the internal affairs of the Republic of Niger.

SOLACEBASE reports that this, according to ECOWAS, is to oust the military junta that ousted the civillan administration of President Mohamed Bazoum.

A statement issued by the Forum Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa, on Saturday, said the move by Nigeria and other ECOWAS nations for military intervention in Niger Republic, is hasty, il-conceived and a miscalculated adventure that will eventually plunge the region and indeed the entire Northern Nigeria, already bedeviled with terrorists activities, into turmoil and anarchy.

‘’It is our conviction that the task of defending and sustaining democracy in Niger Republic is the solemn duty of the people of Niger. The responsibility of it’s neighbors and friends like Nigeria, is not to exacerbate an already bad situation, but to support the Democratic institutions of the country and pray for her in its time of needs.’’

‘’ Again, it is worth emphasizing that any military action in Niger will not only begin and end in Niamey, the Nigerian capital, but will spillover and snowball into Northern Nigerian communities in Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno states.’’

‘’Its humanitarian consequences, however, would be felt across the nation and the West African subregion.

‘’The coup in Niger which began as a palace coup, has now become a national rallying point for anti- neocolonial struggle, not only in Niger but in the rest of the Francophone West Africa. Even the nations of ECOWAS have come to terms with the reality of the coup as a fait-accompli that can’t be easily reversed.’’

‘’President Tinubu as ECOWAS leader, is also increasingly being seen as a Western stooge, doing the bidding of France and America. Anyone conversant with the historic role of Nigeria in ending colonialism in Africa, knows that Nigeria doesn’t deserve the accolade of a Western stooge.

‘’We applaud the courage and steadfastness of the Nigerian Senate and other well-meaning Nigerians’ who have preached caution and restraint.’’

‘’We urge other Nigerians to therefore rise with one voice to dissuade ECOWAS from this fatal misadventure.’’

The statement added that before the Berlin Conference of 1884, where Europe partitioned Africa into spheres of influence, what is today called Republic of Niger and Northern Nigeria, were part of the Hausaland and Kanem Borno Empire. They share common cultural, historical, economic and religious affinities, which the Western-imposed artificial boundaries couldn’t severe.

Since independence, the two nations have maintained mutually beneficial diplomatic, socioeconomic, security and cultural relationships. Through informal trade, marriages and other forms of people-to-people engagements, our two countries have welded into one, despite official impediments.

‘’We call on the Tinubu Administration to immediately take the following measures to return our relationship to the status quo ante by suspending all entreaties towards war and seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

The body asked Nigeria to take immediate measures to restore diplomatic ties with Niger Republic and immediately open all our borders and allow the free flow of economic activities and movement of people and restore power supply to the Niger Republic.