Tinubu insists military intervention last resort in Niger political crisis

President Bola Tinubu said on Thursday all diplomatic options would be exhausted with the military junta in the Niger Republic before any military intervention.

The president, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, stated this when he received the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, at the State House, Abuja.

He also reiterated the non-acceptance of forceful removal of a democratic government in the sub-region and Africa as a whole.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had earlier this month activated its standby force to push out the junta that toppled President Mohammed Basoum on July 26 from the presidential palace in Niamey.

But the West bloc had continued to explore diplomatic options for the resolution of the crisis before resorting to the use of force.

The ECOWAS delegation led by Nigeria’s former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, led the leader of the military junta, Gen. Abduorahamane Tchiani, two weeks ago in Niamey in a bid to find a lasting solution to the impasse.

Tinubu said: “I must thank you for your several visits to Niger Republic, Your Eminence, but you will still have to go back. My fear has been confirmed in Gabon that copycats will start doing the same thing until it is stopped.

READ ALSO: Tinubu accepts invite to meet US President Biden over Niger coup

“We are neighbours with Niger Republic, and what has joined Nigerians together with their great people cannot be broken. Nobody is interested in a war. We have seen the devastation in Ukraine and Sudan. But, if we don’t wield the big stick, we will all suffer the consequences together.”

He noted that Nigeria under Abubakar instituted a nine-month transition programme in 1998 that led the country into a new era of democratic governance.

The president said that such action can be replicated in the Niger Republic if the military authorities are sincere.

“Your Eminence, please don’t get tired, you will still go back there. The soldiers’ action is unacceptable. The earlier they make positive adjustments, the quicker we will dial back the sanctions to alleviate the sufferings we are seeing in Niger,” he added.

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