Niger: Jettison war option, group cautions ECOWAS

…Says Niger problem solvable with right approaches

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

A nascent peace group has cautioned the leadership of Economic Community for West Africa (ECOWAS), in the regional body’s eagerness to restore civil rule in Niger Republic,  to study the negative implications of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, before attacking Niger in order not to create a new problem while attempting to solve the one on ground.

The group, Global Awareness for Public Safety Foundation (GAPSF), in a statement jointly signed by the Director-General of GAPSF, Apostle Dr. Chuks Alozie and the Secretary, Mallam Muktar Nadama, and made available to The Oracle Today in Umuahia, insisted that war should not be an option for resolving the Niger debacle, adding that the Niger problem was solvable if the right approaches were adopted.

The group warned that going to war with Niger would impose severe civil strife in the Savannah and Sahel Regions of Africa, Northern Nigeria and other bordering nations around Niger Republic.

GAPSF which has deep interest in peace and public safety, noted that apart from not enjoying popular endorsement, the ECOWAS war option would plunge not only Nigeria but other countries in West Africa and those in the Savannah into hardship and preached that the regional body should rather promote a peaceful resolution of the Niger impasse.

“The Global Awareness for Public Safety Foundation has carefully followed the call by ECOWAS for military action in Niger Republic to return the country to civilian rule.

“We are utterly heartbroken, seeing as this action will result in a breakdown of peace, law and order. GAPSF believes that the foremost concern for ECOWAS should be to promote a peaceful resolution of perceived discord between ECOWAS and Niger Republic,” the group suggested.

“Beyond relevant endorsement  for the force action, the reality of Niger’s interlocked relationship and strategic location at the centre of the Sahel and Savannah Regions, immediately reveals that any war executed in Niger Republic will certainly cause huge damage on human resources and the economic systems of the relating regions; thereby introducing a situation of hunger and poverty for the Savannah and Sahel Regions of Africa, Northern Nigeria and other bordering Nations around Niger Republic who will suffer great and devastating setbacks, socially, economically, infrastructurally and health-wise,” the group warned.

Alozie and Muktar recalled that currently, the security situation along Nigerien border states with Nigeria was already precarious and would automatically degenerate if ECOWAS goes to war with Niger Republic.

Part of the statement further reads: “As it stands, all the regions along the Nigerian border with Niger Republic is experiencing one form of insecurity; be it militant insurgency in the North-East and wanton banditry in the North-West with tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees being harboured in that same country, adding war to this mix, would only escalate and worsen the situation,” the group cautioned.

“No war prosecuted anywhere in the world is cheap, when it starts, those that fans the embers of the war will now realize that other international interests will come to play out and it will enter into dimensions not earlier envisaged and the war will enter its ‘pride realm’ and to cease fire for truce and peaceful negotiations becomes difficult, lives and properties would have been wasted.

“Let ECOWAS study Ukraine and the Russian War, the Economic damages it has caused globally, and the tragedy of wasting human resources that have been witnessed. Since it’s an internal strife which necessitates a highly condemnable coup d’état, we believe it’s solvable when the right approaches are deployed.

“ECOWAS leadership should not create another problem in the Region which already has so many problems bedevilling it, already the insecurity in North East Nigeria had displaced more than 3 million people who are homeless, suffering one disadvantage condition or the other. Why fight war that has multinational interest because of the resources found in the soils of Africa. ECOWAS, we urge you to rethink and redraw your strategy to make the Sahel and Savannah Regions safe and peaceful.”

The group while counselling ECOWAS to apply public safety model to restore peace in Niger, said: “It is our opinion that the present situation in Niger Republic requires some element of public safety models that must be used to achieved order, primarily to restore peace, law and order in that country. For us, we advise that caution is required to bring back peace in Niger.”

GAPSF also reminded ECOWAS that “Niger Republic is a sovereign nation, and Nigeriens are at liberty to determine the type of government they want to practice, and except for a case of internal strife or Civil War, ECOWAS is not to intrude on their process of regime change.”

Though the group condemned the Wednesday, July 26, 2023 Coup d’état in Niger, it noted that “it is pertinent to bear in mind that, with the fragile peace seemingly attained in Niger, war, should not be an option on the table in ECOWAS’ desire to return the country to a form of government acceptable to the west.”

“With this in mind, ECOWAS should tread with caution on its intended forceful action in Niger Republic, lest it will be seen as acting out of character of its status. Specifically, the Statute and Convention signed by members of ECOWAS are purely on Cultural and Economic integration and not political integration,” the statement added.

“Hence, the Commission does not hold the power to insist and enforce democracy among its member states,” the statement further emphasized..

GAPSF therefore urged ECOWAS not to use the impending war to destroy the bond that has existed between Nigeria and Niger which transcends the colonial era.