Niger Coup: Senate kicks against military intervention, harps on Nigeria’s internal security
In what appears as a first major kick against the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, the Senate has rejected the move by the Nigerian leader to seek permission to deploy troops to the Republic of Niger.
The proposal is part of an ECOWAS force plan to restore the democratically elected President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum.
President Bazoum was removed from office on 26 July in a coup led by his presidential guards.
At an executive session on Saturday, the Nigerian lawmakers at the upper legislative chamber rejected the request by President Tinubu, confessing that Nigeria is currently struggling with its internal security problems.
They reached a unanimous decision to pass a resolution faulting the military takeover and to praise the regional ECOWAS leaders on their efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger, while ruling out military options.
Premium Times newspaper quoted a Senator who was not named, saying: “Almost all the senators spoke and totally ruled out the military options because of many factors and also because of the harmonious relationship that Nigeria and Niger has always enjoyed.
“Senators instead urged President Tinubu to intensify negotiation with the coup leaders by again sending a high-powered delegation to Niamey. Someone suggested that elder statemen like Obasanjo, Gen Ali Gusau and Abdulsalam Abubakar should be sent as special envoys to dialogue and seek a diplomatic solution.
“Senators opposed to military action pointed out that our military is highly ill-equipped and not prepared to fight any war.They said that we have fragile peace in Nigeria and that Niger is the highest arms market in Africa.
“Senators believe that the Federal Government should focus on solving the Boko Haram, banditry and ESN/IPOB menaces ravaging the country instead of contemplating going to war in a foreign country. ”
Recall that ECOWAS leaders at a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, gave the coup leaders a seven-day ultimatum to restore constitutional order or face potential military actions.
Mali and Burkina Faso, where military juntas have been in power since 2020, have warned that any armed regional interference would be seen as a “declaration of war” against them.
Nigeria has led the charge in the sanction after cutting electricity supplies and closing its borders with Niger. Other leaders have also pledged their commitment to force the junta to handover power to President Mohamed Bazoum.
