Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said he is committed to a peaceful restoration of constitutional democracy in the Republic of Niger rather than forcefully sack Abdourahamane Tchiani.
Mr. Tchiani, the commander of Niger’s presidential guard, sacked the country’s constitutionally elected government on July 26, arrested Mohammed Bazoum, the country’s president, and dissolved the government.
One of the president’s press aides, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, contrary to the war narrative speculated by some opposition groups and politicians, said that those pushing for the Nigerian government to use the military to remove the junta from power are spreading deliberately false news or ignoring the processes of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Abdulaziz made the statement during an interview in Hausa broadcast by multiple stations in the north on Sunday.
An opposition politician, Naja’atu Muhammad, in a series of media debates, accused the Nigerian president of planning to paralyze economic activities in northern Nigeria by waging war against the Republic of Niger.
“With the border closure (following the ECOWAS sanction), billions of Naira worth of assets belonging to businessmen in northern Nigeria were wasted, said Ms. Muhammad.
But Abdulaziz said the president is mindful of the long-standing link between Niger and Nigeria in his commitment as ECOWAS president to mediate the crisis.
“Using Nigerian military force in Niger is just propaganda and fake news pushed by some people, but the truth of the matter is that the problem in Niger is being mediated through diplomacy.
“ECOWAS also believes in the diplomatic resolution of the dispute in Niger, not in war. When the incident happened, in less than 24 hours, the president sent the first team of the delegation to Niger to meet with the military junta, but to no avail.
“The President, in his determination to reach a peaceful resolution, later sent Chadian President Mahamat Deby-Itno to the Republic of Niger despite the fact that his country was not a member of ECOWAS, this too to no avail. .
“The third delegation is made up of the respected retired military head of state, Abdulsalam Abubakar and the Sultan of Sokoto, whose caliphate cuts across the Republic of Niger; both men were denied access to the military junta, but instead were received by junior officers in the negotiation.
“This is the diplomatic effort that the president and ECOWAS have used to ensure the peaceful restoration of democracy in the country.
“This is what has been happening, but other people might have ignored what happened, and propagating that Nigeria is going to war with Niger, a president who sees war as an option, will not make these efforts in this regard, sending three different delegations to address the persistent problem.
“The 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi, also tried to mediate unofficially, but was also unsuccessful. A contingent of Nigerian Ulumas was in Niger with the consent of the president for a peaceful resolution.
“We plead with people to contribute prayers for a peaceful end, not war, and the president takes into account the trade transaction between many states in Nigeria and the people of Niger, and hopes to address the issue through diplomacy.
“ECOWAS is only willing to restore the democratically elected government in Niger as it did in other member countries, not to war against the country’s citizens. However, if you guarantee ECOWAS to use force in Niger, it will not be a war between ECOWAS and the people of Niger, the forces will only attack the coup plotters, not ordinary citizens,” Abdulaziz said.
Newslodge reported how ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Niger in an attempt to get Mr. Bazoum reinstated. He also gave a seven-day ultimatum to the coup plotters who ignored it.
The bloc held another meeting last Thursday in which it ordered the activation and deployment of its reserve force to restore constitutional order in Niger.
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