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Senators have rejected President Bola Tinubu’s plea for authorisation to deploy Nigerian troops to Niger Republic as part of an ECOWAS deployment to restore the country’s democratically elected president.
On July 26, President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown in a coup conducted by his presidential guards.
At a meeting four days later in Abuja, ECOWAS leaders issued the coup leaders a seven-day deadline to restore constitutional order or face the use of force. The regional group imposed sanctions on the coup leaders, and Nigeria halted electrical supplies and closed its borders with the impoverished West African country.
Following the coup leaders’ reluctance to back down, West African defense officials stated they had devised a plan for military action, as part of which President Tinubu requested approval from the Senate to deploy Nigerian troops in the attack.
However, at an executive session on Saturday, senators rejected the president’s proposal.
According to a senator present at the meeting, senators decided to draft a resolution condemning the coup and commending ECOWAS leaders for their efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger, but they ruled out military alternatives.
“Almost all of the senators spoke and completely ruled out military options due to a variety of factors, including the harmonious relationship that Nigeria and Niger have always enjoyed.”Senators instead asked President Tinubu to escalate negotiations with the coup leaders by dispatching another high-level team to Niamey. Someone recommended that elder statesmen such as Obasanjo, Gen Ali Gusau, and Abdulsalam Abubakar be deployed as special envoys to engage in negotiation and seek a diplomatic solution.
“Senators opposed to military action emphasized that our military is woefully underequipped and unprepared to fight any war.” They claimed that Nigeria has a fragile peace and that Niger has Africa’s largest arms market.
“Senators believe that instead of contemplating war in a foreign country, the Federal Government should focus on resolving the Boko Haram, banditry, and ESN/IPOB threats ravaging the country.”
According to Premium Times, “over 90% of senators who spoke are adamantly opposed to sending troops/military action.”
According to the senator, Senate President Goodswill Akpabio asked members to support President Tinubu’s actions thus far, but they flatly refused.
Senators have stated that they will vote a resolution condemning the coup, but that going to war with Niger is out of the question.”
The Senate has reconvened in session and is anticipated to pass a resolution on the matter.
The Northern Senators, who warned against the deployment of military force in Niger, noted that Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should address the matter through diplomatic channels rather than military might.
The lawmakers also expressed concern over economic and other sanctions put on Niger, stating that if the situation is not handled properly, it will have a detrimental impact on several Nigerian states such as Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno.
“We, the Northern Senators of the Northern Senators Caucus of the Tenth Senate, led by Sen Abdul Ahmad Ningi, note with concern and condemn in full the unfortunate development in Niger Republic, where the military forcibly deposed President Mohammed Bazoum’s democratically elected government.”
“The Northern Senators also recognize the efforts of ECOWAS leaders, led by our Dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to resolve the situation in Niger Republic.”
“However, the emphasis should be on political and diplomatic means to restore democratic government in the Niger Republic.”
“We also object to the use of military force until all other options, as mentioned above, have been exhausted, because the consequences will be casualties among innocent citizens going about their daily lives.” Furthermore, seven northern states shared a border with Niger Republic: Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, and Jigawa. “Yobe and Borno will suffer,” warned the group’s spokesman, Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila.
“We are also aware of the situation in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Libya, which may affect the seven Northern states whose military forces are used,” he says.
“Our country faces serious consequences if its military force is used without exhausting all diplomatic channels.””As democratic representatives and representatives of the people, we are here to urge our colleagues to exercise caution when invoking section 5 subsection (4) (a) and (b) of the constitution.”
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