The Delta State Police Command has apprehended the suspect responsible for the tragic killing of a two-year-old boy, Ivan Omhonrina, two weeks ago.

The incident occurred during an operation by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Okpanam in the Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. The NDLEA stated that the incident happened while they were raiding a drug joint in the area.

According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, the suspect is already in custody. However, the identity of the suspect has not been disclosed.

In a separate development, the command paraded a 22-year-old kidnapper, Ojokor Jeffrey, along with eight others who were involved in terrorizing the Warri, Sapele, and Uvwie areas of the state. Among the items recovered from the suspects were two locally-made double barrel guns and 11 live cartridges.

Furthermore, two individuals who stole a Hilux van belonging to the Ondo State Government, but attached to the Ministry of Lands and Infrastructure, were also paraded. The stolen vehicle was removed from its parking spot in Owo town, Ondo State. The police have recovered the vehicle and the case will be transferred to the Ondo State Police Command.

The recovery of the stolen vehicle was initiated following a distress call received by the command on July 30, 2023, from Ondo State. The vehicle was traced to Patani, where it was intercepted by the police patrol team stationed on the Patani expressway.

The arrested suspects, Tochukwu Nnamani (22) and Chukwuma Unue (38), claimed that the vehicle was handed over to them by one Efe in Ughelli, with instructions to deliver it to one Chief Ojukwu at Mbaima town in River State. The investigation is ongoing to ascertain the complete details of the incident.

At an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on 30 July, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded the “immediate release and reinstatement” of Niger’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. He had been held by the military since 19 July.

The regional bloc gave the military in Niger a one-week ultimatum to comply and warned it would take all measures necessary – including force – to restore constitutional order.

On 28 July, the head of Niger’s presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, declared himself head of state after the military seized power.

Beyond warning against any regional and foreign interventions, the military leaders in Niger have given no indications of ways forward.

This coup d’etat will have a significant impact on peace and stability in Niger and the entire Sahel region.

Constant threat of coups

Although Niger has recently enjoyed its longest democratic rule since independence, there has been a constant threat of coups. When Bazoum was elected president in 2021, there was a coup attempt about 48 hours before his inauguration. It failed as presidential guards fought off the coup plotters.

As a political scientist with expertise on international security, conflict analysis and governance in Africa, including knowledge on Niger, I explained then, the coup attempt pointed to deep fissures in the country. It suggested that the military had not fully embraced democracy.

The current coup plotters have blamed rising insecurity and a lack of economic growth. They stated that the intervention was necessary to avoid “the gradual and inevitable demise” of the country. I believe, however, there are other issues that precipitated the latest coup d’etat. These are: ethnicity; the presence of foreign forces; and the weakness of regional bodies.

Factors that led to the coup

There are no doubts that the rise in insecurity and declining economic prospects contributed to fragility in the country.

Despite the increase in foreign forces, especially from the US and France, and military bases in Niger, the leadership has been unable to stop insurgent attacks. There are several insurgent groups, such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates, as well as Boko Haram operating in the country.

These attacks have resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements in the last decade. Hundreds of youths in the capital, Niamey, gathered to celebrate the July coup, waving Russian flags and chanting “Wagner”. This suggests that some people in Niger believe the military, supported by Russia and the private military contractor, Wagner group, would do a better job of fighting insurgents.

In addition to insecurity and economic stagnation, three other issues help explain the recent coup d’etat.

First, the debate over the ethnicity and legitimacy of Bazoum was an issue during the last election campaign. Bazoum is from Niger’s ethnic Arab minority and has always been labelled as having foreign origins.

This did not sit well within the military circle, which is predominantly composed of the larger ethnic groups – even though Bazoum got about 56% of the vote and is from the same party as former president Mahamadou Issoufou.

There is a lot of emphasis on ethnic military composition in the country; understanding this helped Issoufou complete two terms as president. Appointments in the military are made along ethnic lines.

Foreign military bases 

Second, the large number of foreign military troops and bases in the country has not been well received by the military. They believe this undermines them. Niger is a key ally of western countries in the fight against insurgency in the region. France’s huge investments in Niger’s mining sector are another reason for its interest in security.

In 2019, the US opened a drone base in Niger despite protests. As I have pointed out before, the drone base could make Niger a target for terrorists and increase instability.

In 2022, France and other European allies withdrew their forces from neighbouring Mali. Bazoum was quick to invite them to Niger. The Nigerien military leadership and some influential individuals in the country denounced the increase in foreign forces.

Third, I suggest the failure of regional organisations such as ECOWAS and the African Union to take a firm stance against military power seizures in Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali emboldened the Nigerien military. ECOWAS leaders have now threathened to use force to restore Bazoum if the coup plotters do not reinstate him.

In the last four years, there have been seven coup d’etats in the region. Three were successful. Leaders of ECOWAS and the African Union have threatened sanctions on these three countries, but nothing much has been done to deter other opportunistic military leaders.

In a round table organised by the think tank Chatham House London on the impact of military intervention in west Africa, one of the leaders from the region stated that they kept avenues of communication open with the three military presidents as a courtesy. This creates an impression that there is no deterrence for military takeovers.

Implications for Niger and the region

The latest coup d’etat has severe consequences for Niger and the entire Sahel region. Niger is a strong ally of western nations, especially France, the US and the European Union in fighting insurgency and curbing illegal migration to Europe.

Efforts to address these issues will be affected. And the new military leaders will want to use these issues as leverage in negotiations and to force acceptance of the new regime.

The new leaders in Niger might also engage with the Wagner group to combat the Islamist insurgency. The leader of the group has already praised them for seizing power. The influence of Russia and Wagner in the region could grow.

Yet Wagner has been unable to halt terrorist advancement in Mali and Burkina Faso.

Finally, a successful military takeover in Niger would be a major drawback for democracy in the region and Africa as a whole. The military regimes of Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso already plan to form a “military alliance”, supposedly to combat insecurity.

African leaders need to do more to prove that they are working for the masses.

The federal government has insisted that the planned strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against the removal of the petrol subsidy and the high cost of living in the country is a violation of an existing court order.

On Wednesday, NLC issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government to reverse all “anti-poor” and “insensitive” policies.

The policies, the union said, include the recent hike in the price of petrol, and the sudden increase in public school fees, among others.

However, the federal government said the union is restrained by an order of the national industrial court from embarking on any strike regarding the removal of petrol subsidy.

Commenting on the issue, Femi Falana, a human writes lawyer, said the strike action does not translate into contempt of court.

In a letter addressed to Beatrice Jedy-Agba, solicitor-general of the federation, Falana said the court or any other organ had not granted an order of interim, interlocutory or perpetual injunction restraining Nigerian workers from participating in peaceful rallies convened by the NLC.

He argued that it is the constitutional right of workers to protest peacefully.

However, in another letter on Monday, the solicitor-general asked Falana to advise the union to shelve the planned strike.

She said the subject matter which is the major cause of the strike is subjudice.

Jedy-Agba also stated that from the communique issued by the NLC, the planned strike goes beyond a peaceful protest as it intends to “ground the government by endangering public peace, instilling fear in the masses”.

“We assert that it is grossly inappropriate to lead a public protest in respect of issues relating to or connected with the fuel price increase, which are currently before the court,” she said.

“From the communique, it is apparent that the current move by NLC goes beyond peaceful protest by issuing a seven-day ultimatum for government to meet its demands and also embark on a nationwide action to compel the government to reverse alleged anti-worker policies.

“Furthermore, uncontroverted media reports have established that NLC is not planning a peaceful protest but intends to ground the government by endangering public peace, instilling fear in the masses, precipitating a further crisis.”

Jedy-Agba also cited statements by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) in which they indicated interest to join the strike action.

“We reiterate that the interim order clearly restrained NLC from embarking on industrial action of any nature,” the solicitor-general stated.

“It is common knowledge that a strike is only a form of industrial action. NLC has expressed the intention to embark on a nationwide action to force the government (employer) to agree to its demands.

“Furthermore, the participation of workers in the protest will result in restriction or limitation on or a delay in the performance of work.

“The foregoing, inclusive of the purported peaceful protest (in view of its intended aims or purposes), undoubtedly amounts to industrial action. It is incumbent on your law firm to sensitize the labour unions that peaceful protests are no justification for disrupting or shutting down essential services, which is tantamount to strike action.”

House of Representatives, on Tuesday, directed that the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and the Police as well as all the intelligence agencies, among other stakeholders, appear before it on Wednesday.

Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee probing employment racketeering and gross mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by agencies of the Federal Government, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, handed down the directive in Abuja.

Hon. Gagdi who expressed displeasure over the absence though they were duly invited, said: “Let me say this to all agencies we have invited, I think we need to read their names clearly here.

“They are the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, the Nigerian Communication Commission, the Nigerian Post Services, the Nigerian frequency management Council, Galaxy Backbone, National Identity Management Commission, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Fire Service, Nigerian Police Force, Defence Intelligence Agency, State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Navy must appear tomorrow (Wednesday) since they have failed to appear today. This is the ruling of the committee,” Hon  Gagdi said.

In her presentation, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) who also denied allegations that her office was engaging in the enrolment of ghost workers for personal gains, disclosed that her office is working hard to fish out ghost workers who existed in the system before the introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

She said: “Having realised that this is a system that needs to be reviewed, on my assumption of duty, I met a series of issues around IPPIS and that made me organize stakeholders with all the service providers around the IPPIS, where the service providers came and made presentations, questions were asked.

“The stakeholders meeting ran for two weeks where all the service providers were scheduled for each day and came with their technical hands while the technical team of the OAGF was also on the ground where we were discussing a series of issues about the system.

“And after the meeting, we further broke down into technical committees where a series of issues identified from the stakeholders’ meeting was subjected to further discussions.

“I have just received an interim report of this meeting, which we are looking at to see how we address all the issues that are emanating from this engagement to enable us to take further action on the management of the IPPIS.”

She said only 640 out of over 900 agencies of the Federal Government were captured on the IPPIS.

“As of today we have 640 MDAs registered on the IPPIS, enrolled on the IPPIS, because there are some that are not on the IPPIS like all the security agencies, federal government-owned enterprises that generate revenue, they are not on IPPIS.

“Then self-funding agencies are not on IPPIS. Some parastatals that have different arrangements for the payment of their salaries like those that are receiving first-line transfers like the National Assembly are not on the IPPIS and so many others like that.

“So, if we put the number of those outside IPPIS, it may get to over 900. Except if an Act of the National Assembly makes it compulsory that all government agencies must be on IPPIS..”

Also testifying before the Ad-hoc Committee, IPPIS Director, Mr. Emma Deko, accused some universities of sending more names than required to be captured on the system.

“We are all aware of the issue of ASUU. We were told to enroll them and the enrolment did not pass through the normal process because it was an ad hoc thing. It was an emergency.

“They refused to come on board. But when the government persuaded them to come on. We were asked to enroll them without going through the process. So I want to place on record that some of them were given numbers to enroll. To enroll people who were on their payroll prior to that time.

“But in a bid to increase their payroll, some of them enrolled more than what was previously on their payroll. For instance, if somebody is told to enroll 1,000, they enroll 1,300 or 1,4000. And it is only for 1,000 that the Budget Office provided money for that would be paid.

“I want to give an instance, the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Our staff went there to enroll what was approved. They were held hostage. They were forced to enroll everybody and you know that to protect themselves, it is only someone who is alive that can come back to tell you the story.

“So, they played and enrolled everybody but when we came back, we had to payroll only what money is provided in the budget.”

[Tribune]

The senate has commenced screening of 14 of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.

The process commenced on Monday after David Umahi, deputy majority leader, moved a motion to that effect.

14 nominees, including Nyesom Wike, immediate past governor of Rivers, were screened on Monday.

Last week, the president sent a list of 28 ministerial nominees to the senate for confirmation.

Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi and Wale Edun, a former commissioner of finance in Lagos, have just been screened.

Others to be screened today are Nasir el-Rufai, immediate past governor of Kaduna; and Dele Alake, special adviser to the president, special duties, communications and strategy.

See the full list of nominees scheduled for screening today.

David Umahi (Ebonyi)
Adebayo Olawale Edun (Ogun)
Nasir el-rufai CON (Kaduna)
Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (Katsina)
Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji (Enugu)
Stella Okotete (Delta)
Dele Alake (Ekiti)
Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo)
Muhammad Idris (Niger)
Professor Ali Pate Bauchi
Doris Anite Uzoka (Imo)
Lateef Fagbemi SAN (Kwara)
Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo (Akwa Ibom)
Barr Hannatu Musawa (Katsina)

The special adviser on monetary policy to President Bola Tinubu and Ministerial nominee has said the current exchange rate of the naira to the dollar is not backed by fundamentals of the Nigerian economy but by speculation.  

Chief Edun made this known while appearing before the Senate for confirmation and fielding questions from senators.  

Exchange rate not backed by fundamentals 

While answering questions from the senate minority leader on the exchange rate, he said  

• “What I can say is this, for a country that has revenue flows from oil, remittances, and other non-oil exports of over $100 billion yearly, there is no reason that there is not a stable exchange rate.
•  “All other things being equal, the current N860/$ we are seeing today is not backed up by fundamentals of the Nigerian economy.”  

Speaking further, the likely finance minister said speculators and the mismanagement, inefficiency and corruption of the previous administration have created an overhand of unpaid dollar bills which is responsible for the pressure on the exchange rate.  

He noted the Tinubu administration hopes to resolve this by raising revenues, attracting investment and equity funds and not debt. 

Exchange rate should be N700/$ 

When speaking on the likely exchange rate after their policies have been rolled into action, he said  

• “It is difficult to predict because the exchange market takes up a psychology of their own. I would just like to warn that all the models are showing that the fundamental value of the naira should be somewhere around N700/$.’’ 

He further warned speculators to be cautious that as liquidity flows in and rates go down, there is a chance they’ll lose their bets. “It is just a warning,” he said.  

Mr. Edun also used the opportunity to argue for a separation between the office of the accountant-general of the federation and the accountant-general of the federal government saying that has been his position for a long time.  

Subsidy and palliatives 

• On subsidy and distribution of money to the poor, the President’s special adviser said “The removal of subsidy and elimination of multiple exchange windows has put us in a strong position going forward”  
• For palliative, he said, “A digital identity for every Nigerian is what is needed and what tis recommended for us. The condition attached to the $800 million world bank loan states so”  

What you should know

President Bola Tinubu appointed Chief Wale Edun as his special adviser on monetary policy and also a Ministerial nominee by the President.

Many tout the President may likey assign Chief Edun as the country’s finance Minister owing to his background in economics, monetary policy, investment banking and development finance.

He was also commissioner of finance in Lagos during the tenure of the Tinubu administration.  

[Nairametrics]

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), misplaced his two mobile phones at the tribunal session in Abuja on Tuesday.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Obi was accompanied by his running mate, Ahmed Baba-Ahmed, award-winning novelist Chimamanda Adichie, and other political associates.

Obi, dressed in his usual black attire, sat close to Baba-Ahmed throughout the court’s proceeding.

In a video which has gone viral, Obi was seen searching for his phones, which he allegedly misplaced.

“I came in with two of them (phones) here,” he told Datti, who sought to know what was wrong.

It was after the court’s proceedings in his petition challenging the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election that Obi discovered that his mobile phone was missing.

However, a source later confirmed that the phones were found, TheCable reports.

Peter Obi and his party, Labour Party, are contesting the election victory of President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Court.

[PoliticsNigeria]

Many Nigerians are urging caution over last week’s resolution of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Authority of Heads of State and Government in handling the military coup in Niger Republic.

DAILY POST reported that the ECOWAS gave General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the mastermind of the coup in Niger Republic seven days to return power to the ousted President Mohammed Bazoom.

The decision formed part of resolutions reached during the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government emergency meeting held in Abuja.

DAILY POST also learnt that other resolutions at the end of the meeting included a stern warning that if the coup plotters failed to restore political stability in seven days, ECOWAS might use force. The regional body also directed member states’ chiefs of defence staff to meet immediately.

As announced by Omar Alieu-Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, the leaders ordered the closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger, including the imposition of a no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger.

He also announced on behalf of the organisation the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger, including freezing all service transactions, energy transactions, and freezing the assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks.

“ECOWAS condemn in the strongest terms, the attempted overthrow of constitutional order in Niger, and the illegal detention of His Excellency President Mohammed Bazoum, President and head of state of Niger, as well as members of his family and government.

“Consider the illegal detention of President Mohammed Bazoum as a hostage situation and hold the authors of the attempted coup d’etat solely and fully responsible for the safety and security of His Excellency President Mohammed Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.

“In the event the authorities’ demands are not met within one week. Take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force. For this effect, the chiefs of defence staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately,” part of the resolution read.

At the summit were the following heads of state and government and mandated representatives: His Excellency President Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, President Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire. Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of the Gambia. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana.

Others are General Omar Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, President Faure Gnassingbé of the Togolese Republic. The representative of the President of the Republic of Cape Verde, the representative of the President of the Republic of Liberia, the representative of President Bazoom, the President and Head of State of the Republic of Niger, the representative of President Julius Maada Wonie Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Others include Omar Al Turia, President of the ECOWAS; Musa Faki Muhammad, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; Leonardo Santos Simão, who was special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of Universe, including Mr Job, President of the Commission of UMR.

But in a dangerous turn of events, military-ruled Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have declared their support for the coup in Niger, daring any threat of attack against the junta republic.

In a joint statement on Monday, Burkina Faso and Mali warned that any military intervention against Niamey would be considered a declaration of war against their nations.

The warning was read out on their national broadcasters a day after ECOWAS threatened to use force to reinstate Niger’s deposed President Mohamed Bazoum should the coup plotters not comply after seven days.

They described sanctions imposed on Niger as “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane against the people and authorities of Niger hence will not apply them.”

However, some Nigerians have expressed dissenting views over the possibility of military intervention in the Niger Republic, warning that Nigeria should not be drawn into what they have described as a proxy war.

Some believe any armed invasion of the Niger Republic is simply a war between Nigeria and Niger because of their proximity.

Speaking to DAILY POST in an interview on Tuesday, a former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Barrister Mike Ejiofor, stated that he believes Tinubu will rely more on negotiation and diplomacy to save the situation in the Niger Republic.

Ejiofor warned that the nation is already grappling with its economic and political challenges and might not have resources to waste as it did in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

However, the security expert advised politicians to be conscious, accountable, and responsive to their citizens’ yearnings, pointing out that bad governance gives rise to military coups.

“The whole world is moving forward in terms of democracy, but you can see that in the West African sub-region, we are moving backwards with coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and now in Niger. The one of Niger even has ominous signs for Nigeria because it is a neighbouring country.

“The ECOWAS’s Heads of State and Government, where our President is the chairman, has given the juntas seven days within which to relinquish power and restore democracy, or they face military action.

“I believe such action should be well thought out because in as much as we condemn military coups, it is bad governance that is giving rise to all these military coups.

“We have seen how the people are reacting, even burning down political party offices and attacking politicians; that shows you the anger of the people.

“So, it is a lesson that our politicians should be conscious and accountable to the people and be responsive to the yearning of the people. It is not only a coup you can see, you can even see an uprising worse than a coup.

“I think the signs are not good, but the government and the ECOWAS should also think this thing through because eventually, if military action is embarked upon, they are going to rely heavily on Nigeria. We have our own economic and political challenges. We don’t have such resources like they wasted in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“What are our foreign interests if you are going to embark on forceful eviction of the junta?

“I believe that the government of President Tinubu will rely more on negotiation and diplomacy to save the situation.”

On his part, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adamu Garba, alleged that the United States and France have set a trap for the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to go into a total war in the region.

According to Garba, any mistake of military intervention in Niger might spell doom for Nigeria.

He expressed his view via his verified Twitter handle on Sunday.

Garba urged President Bola Tinubu to be courageous enough to resist pressure from France and U.S. for the ECOWAS to wage any military action against Niger but instead opt for a non-kinetic and diplomatic approach.

“The West, under France and the U.S., have perfectly set a TRAP for ECOWAS to go into a total war in the region. Any mistake of military intervention in Niger means we are done with it.

“President Tinubu must be courageous enough to resist French and U.S pressure on ECOWAS to wage any military action against Niger. We must use a non-kinetic, diplomatic approach.

“If we make the mistake of involving military means in Niger, we may end up inviting more internal problems to ourselves and to the effort we made so hard in building a democratic government in place,” Garba said.

On his part, a former lawmaker and social critic, Shehu Sani warned that Nigeria must not support any armed invasion of the Niger Republic, listing thirteen reasons in his statement to support his argument.

Sani urged Tinubu not to allow himself to be pushed to initiate and trigger a war with a neighbouring country and later be left stranded.

He insisted that no West African country has the military capability to start or sustain a war with the Niger Republic.

He said, “President Tinubu should not allow himself to be pushed to initiate and trigger a war with a neighbouring country and later be left stranded.

“No west African country has any military capability to start or sustain a war with the Niger Republic; everyone will be relying on Nigeria.”

The social critic also added that Niger had been helpful to Nigeria in the fight against terrorist groups and that the country is currently hosting over 303 thousand Nigerian refugees, warning that this could be in danger in the event of war.

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Daniel Bwala, has urged Tinubu to exercise caution and discretion on how he approaches the coup in the Niger Republic.

Bwala, a former federal lawmaker, insisted that Nigeria does not want military intervention anywhere in Africa, advising him to resist by all means the temptation to send soldiers to Niger but instead engage in diplomacy.

“Mr President should exercise caution and discretion on the Niger coup and how to approach it. One fact is clear; we don’t want military intervention anywhere in Africa. No matter how imperfect democracy is, we shall force its growth through citizenship engagement.

“PBAT should avoid being drawn into what appears to be a proxy war. The temptation to send soldiers to Niger should be resisted by all means. Peace in Niger is strategic to our national security. Engage through diplomacy; use the power of economic, trade, travel sanctions etc., but avoid militarization of diplomacy,” Bwala said.

[DailyPost]

Burkina Faso and Mali have warned that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum will be considered a “declaration of war against their two countries”.

The warning from Niger’s military-ruled neighbours came a day after West African leaders, supported by their Western partners, threatened to use “force” to reinstate the democratically elected Bazoum and slapped financial sanctions on the putschists.

In a joint statement, the governments of Burkina Faso and Mali warned that “any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali.”

They said the “disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger… could destabilise the entire region.”

They also said they “refuse to apply” the “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger.”

This came as the Russian Federation also advised the Economic Community of West African States against the use of military intervention in the Niger crisis.

In response to an inquiry by The PUNCH, Russia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Alexei Shebarshin, advised the use of constitutional means in restoring peace to the West African country.

In a short response, the Russian ambassador said, “Russia opposes a military solution to the conflict, Russia has no plans to use its armed forces in Niger. The people of Niger should solve their problems independently in a constitutional manner without any resort to force or threat to use it.”

At an emergency summit on Sunday, ECOWAS demanded that Bazoum be reinstated within a week, failing which it would take “all measures” to restore constitutional order.

“Such measures may include the use of force for this effect,” it said in a statement.

The bloc also slapped financial sanctions on the junta leaders and the country, freezing “all commercial and financial transactions” between member states and Niger, one of the world’s poorest nations, which often ranks last on the UN’s Human Development Index.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, also called on the authority of the Economic Community of West African States not to attack Niger Republic as a whole but impose sanctions on the military junta.

He said, “Apart from suspending Niger from ECOWAS, the leaders of the sub-regional body should refrain from attending international conferences with coup plotters as was recently witnessed during the recently concluded Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg, Russia.”

Falana made the calls in a paper titled “Unconstitutional Change of Governments: the Role of Bar Associations”, delivered today at a 2-day conference of the West African Bar Association in Accra, Ghana.

Niger’s junta on Monday accused France of seeking to “intervene militarily” to reinstate Bazoum, which French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna denied, according to AFP.

“It’s wrong,” Colonna told France’s BFM news channel of the allegation, adding it was still “possible” to return the president to power.

“And it’s necessary because destabilisation is perilous for Niger and its neighbours,” she said Monday evening.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday vowed “immediate and uncompromising” action if French citizens or interests were attacked, after thousands rallied outside the French embassy in Niamey. Some tried to enter the compound but were dispersed by tear gas.

Russia has called for the swift return of “the rule of law” and “restraint from all parties” in Niger.

Macron has spoken to Bazoum several times as well as to regional leaders, the presidential palace in Paris said.

Meanwhile, Italy’s foreign minister on Tuesday said the government would arrange a special flight to repatriate nationals from Niamey, the capital of Niger, after a military takeover took place in the African state.

“The Italian government has decided to offer our fellow citizens in Niamey the chance to leave the city on a special flight to Italy,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani posted on the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

In remarks sent to Reuters via his office, Tajani said the Italian embassy remained open and the ambassador was returning to Niger from Rome where she went for the U.N. Food Systems summit last week.

Also, France prepared to evacuate hundreds of French and European citizens from Niger on Tuesday, a day after neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso said any outside intervention to restore the ousted government would be seen as a declaration of war, a report by global news agency, Reuters said on Tuesday.

Bazoum — a Western ally whose election just over two years ago marked Niger’s first peaceful transition of power since independence from France in 1960 — was toppled on July 26 by the elite Presidential Guard.

In Mali, a 2020 putsch led to a bust-up with France, which last year withdrew its troops as the junta brought in Russian paramilitaries.

France also quit Burkina Faso after two coups last year brought in a junta that adopted a nationalist line.

The withdrawals prompted France to reconfigure its decade-long anti-jihadist strategy in the Sahel, concentrating on Niger, where it fields 1,500 troops with a major air base near Niamey.

[Punch]