Tinubu Writes Senate, Seeks Support For Military Deployment To Niger The die is cast , Nigeria’s Commander – in – Chief and Chairman ,Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday took further steps towards ensuring the restoration of democracy in Niger Republic by writing to the Senate to seek support
Tinubu Writes Senate, Seeks Support For Military Deployment To Niger
The die is cast , Nigeria’s Commander – in – Chief and Chairman ,Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday took further steps towards ensuring the restoration of democracy in Niger Republic by writing to the Senate to seek support on the deployment of military personnel to the Niger Republic.
He also sought the backing of the legislature on the cutting off of electricity to the country as well as closure of all borders with the country.
Niger Republic’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was toppled by his guards on 26 July 2023.
President Tinubu had on Sunday 30 July,2023 met with some fellow ECOWAS leaders to discuss appropriate ways to restore democracy in Niger. The regional leaders met to discuss sanctions to be placed against the military personnel who toppled Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
The ECOWAS Chairman,however, made a last minute diplomatic move to make the coup leaders change their minds by sending a delegation made up of former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Sultan of Sokoto Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar. The move , however, failed to impress the military leaders.
On Friday, President Tinubu dispatched a letter to Senate President. It reads: “Political situation in Niger. Following the unfortunate political situation in Niger Republic culminating in the overthrow of its President, ECOWAS under my leadership condemned the coup in its entirety and resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected government in a bid to restore peace, ECOWAS convened a meeting and came out with a communique.”
The president further sought support for: “Military buildup and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant.
“Closure and monitoring of all land borders with the Niger Republic and reactivating of the border drilling exercise.
“Cutting off Electricity supply to the Niger Republic, mobilising international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.
“Preventing the operation of commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic; Blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports”, he stressed.
President Tinubu further informed the Senate that the country was embarking on sensitisation of Nigerians on the imperative of these actions, particularly via social media.
As a way of preventing the influx of Nigeriens into the country, personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) are on alert to stop any Nigerien from crossing into Nigeria through official or unofficial borders.
Sources close to NIS said personnel of the service have been ordered to stop Nigerians from going into Niger Republic through the Katsina border with Niger Republic as part of the Service’s efforts to impose an ECOWAS sanction against the military junta in Niger Republic.
“Nigerians should stay at home and not attempt to go to the Niger Republic until the embargo is lifted. And we are determined to return any Nigerien we catch who is planning to come to this country”, Mr. Mustapha Sani, the Immigration comptroller in charge of Special Border Command told journalists in Jibia, Katsina State on Thursday.
Jibia is one of the four areas in Katsina State sharing an expansive border with the Niger Republic. The others are Kaita, Mai’Adua and Zango.
Seven northern Nigeria states, including Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina Jigawa, Yobe and Borno share a 1,608 kilometres long border with five regions in the Niger Republic and the immigration official said all commands have been put on alert to ensure compliance with the border closure order.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is sanctioning Niger Republic after presidential guards toppled Mohamed Bazoum and announced Abdrahmane Tchiani as the new president.
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