By Ayodele Oni
Nigeria and other members of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) are set to deploy the Military to Niger Republic in an effort to restore democracy.
Prominent Nigerians, including Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Chief Bode George have advised President Tinubu on the adverse effect of deploying the military to the embattled Niger Republic.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday sent a letter to the National Assembly intimating legislators of the proposed ECOWAS’ military action and other sanctions against military coup leaders in Niger Republic.
President Tinubu in an executive communication, addressed to the Senate and read on the floor of plenary by President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said that the ECOWAS under his leadership seek the return of the democratically elected government in Niger Republic.
He said the development followed the “unfortunate political” situation in Niger Republic that culminated in the overthrow of its President, Mohammed Bazoum.
Tinubu further explained that in a bid to restore peace, ECOWAS convened a meeting and resolved on military build-up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger Republic should they remain recalcitrant.
The President also said that ECOWAS also came out with a communique with a resolution to “enforce the closure and monitoring of all land borders with Niger Republic and reactivating of the border drilling exercise”.
The executive communication read in part; “Cutting off Electricity supply to Niger Republic, mobilizing 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, embarking on sensitization of Nigerians and Nigeriens on the imperative of these actions particularly via social media.”
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