The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has scheduled yet another meeting on the Niger Crisis.

The regional body had met in Abuja on August and issued a 7-day deadline for the Niger junta to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military intervention.

But rather than reinstate Bazoum, the junta severed ties with Nigeria and some other countries sympathetic to Bazoum’s cause.

The military regime, which declared their Commander General, Abdourahamane Tchiani the new head of state, vowed not to bow to outside pressure.

It also warned against foreign intervention, vowing to defend the territorial integrity of Niger.

On Friday, military chiefs of some West African countries said they had agreed on a plan for possible military intervention in the event push for a diplomatic solution failed.

The chiefs of defence staff from Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Cote D’ivoire, Cabo Verde and the Republic of Benin held the meeting in Abuja.

ECOWAS had last week sent a high-powered delegation to broker peace with the coupists but their representatives met with the team led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu, who is chairman of ECOWAS, sent a notice of meeting scheduled for Thursday in Abuja.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the
Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) has convened another Extraordinary Summit of the Authority on the political situation in the Republic of Niger. The Summit will hold in Abuja, on Thursday, August 10, 2023.”

“The ECOWAS Leaders will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the Summit,” read a statement issued by the regional body.

The coup leaders have not issued any statement on the deadline yet.

Daily Trust correspondents who are now at the Nigerian borders with Niger in Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa and Borno states, said though there was no fight, millions of people are in dire straits due to fear of the unknown occasioned by high cost or shortage of basic necessities of life like food and drugs.

The residents, Nigerians and Nigeriens alike, said they detest war and called on ECOWAS to have a rethink in line with a clarion call by prominent groups and individuals.

The Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) was the latest to call on Tinubu –led regional bloc to trade with caution.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), the group urged ECOWAS to consider the immediate and long-term implications of its actions on the people of the Niger Republic and the wider West African sub-region.

Also, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, through its Secretary General, Professor Khalid Aliyu commended the efforts so far undertaken by the Nigerian government, particularly the initiation of a dialogue process, aimed at resolving the crisis in Niger Republic.

“While this attempt may not have yielded the desired results, it demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful resolutions.” JNI also cautioned taking military action against the junta in Niger because of the apparent wider negative implication on Nigeria.

…Says reforms a necessary

The various taxes administered by the three tiers of government are to be harmonized in a fresh move to incentivize compliance and increase tax revenue.

The Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) Mr. Muhammad Nami, disclosed this at the meeting with Chairmen of States Internal Revenue Boards, in Abuja, this afternoon.

“Harmonization and codification of taxes at the National and Sub-national levels: Key to achieving a tax friendly environment in Nigeria,” was the theme of the meeting.

According to him, his team was moving from the level of discussion to practicalising the much-needed tax harmonization in the country.

Mr. Nami said that President Bola Tinubu was determined to ensure necessary steps were taking to encourage more Nigerians to comply with their tax obligations, which has been identified as panacea to raising tax revenue.

His words, “we have moved from just talking about harmonizing the various taxes. We are now at the level of actual harmonization. President Tinubu is very serious about addressing the problem of multiplicity of taxes.

“I have addressed the State Governors at the National Economic Council and we have all agreed that it better to harmonise the taxes, have fewer taxes and effective collect them through encouraging tax payers to comply.

“As the new administrations attempt to address the many socioeconomic challenges facing the nation on many fronts, it becomes imperative for all the levels of State to shake-off any lethargic antecedents and focus on the goal of a national resurgence.

“The unique and privileged offices we occupy as drivers of the nation’s tax administration processes presents us with a rare opportunity to take hard, but necessary decisions that are expected to yield long term benefits and add immense value to our collective prosperity as a nation.

“In recent years, especially since the dawn of our current democratic dispensation, the importance of taxation has continued to be reiterated and reinforced by all, and the critical role that tax-revenue plays in funding government and governance cannot be over-emphasized.”

Mr. Nami who is also the Chairman of the Federal Inland revenue service (FIRS) said that the organization would protect small businesses, while making sure that informal sector operators were brought into the tax net.

He was specific that business with less than N25 million turnover were tax exempt.

Earlier, the Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy & Tax Reforms Committee, Mr. Taiwo Oyeleye, stressed the need to drastically reduce the number of taxes imposed on members of the Nigeria public and businesses in the country.

He pointed out that multiple taxation was causing low tax morale in the country, as well as discouraging investments, while creating room for corruption and making doing business difficult.

According to him, “Many MDA (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) Specialicised Purpose vehicles are set up and allowed to collect taxes and taxes are building up every day.

“Last year alone, there were four new taxes. My team did a study and found out that there were 44 Bill in the works at the National Assembly with various types of taxes.”

Mr. Taiwo noted that multiple taxation always resulted in low tax morale of the people and that many business owners viewed government’s imposition of multiple taxes on them as being against such businesses.

He added, “Ironically, the more taxes you have, the lower the tax revenue you collect. A lot of Nigerians pay taxes that don’t get to government. Businesses are made to pay taxes from their capital. That is the surest way to ruin those businesses.”

The tax expert made a comparison of tax revenues between Nigeria and South Africa’s tax revenue and concluded that tax earnings by the latter were way far more that what Nigeria earned annually, despite the fact that the country administered many more than South Africa.

He disclosed that South Africa raised about N78.2 trillion equivalents in tax revenue in 2022 alone, which he explained was more that all the budgets of all three tiers of government in Nigeria put together.

In 2022, Nigeria’s federal, states, local governments’ entire tax revenue stood at N15. 2 trillion.

Mr. Taiwo said that the top echelon of the Nigerian society from where the chunk of the Personal Income Tax revenue should have come from either don’t pay taxes at all or pay much less than they should.

A situation, he said must be urgently addressed, to the significantly raise tax revenue, and drastically cut borrowings.

Italy has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to extend its deadline for the reinstatement of Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

ECOWAS had given the Nigerien coup leaders a week to meet its demands of restoring order or face harder sanctions, including the use of force.

Mali and Burkina Faso had also warned ECOWAS against any further interventions, adding that they would be forced to also adopt “self-defence measures” in support of the “brotherly” armed forces and the people of Niger.

Niger closed its airspace on Sunday, citing the threat of military intervention from the regional bloc after coup leaders defied the deadline to reinstate Bazoum.

Earlier, thousands of supporters flocked to a stadium in Niamey, the capital, cheering the new military regime.

Many stakeholders and countries including Russia have urged ECOWAS to explore other forms of mediation instead of force.

In an interview on Monday, Antonio Tajani, Italian foreign minister, said the only way forward is through diplomacy.

“The only way is the diplomatic one. I hope that the ultimatum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today,” Tajani said.

Although ECOWAS defence chiefs had backed dialogue as the primary intervention to restore democracy, the military leaders said they have drawn up a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if the situation arises.

After Uproar Over Keyamo’s Screening

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, rushed to the Presidential Villa as soon as the Senate dissolved into executive session during consideration of Festus Keyamo for ministerial appointment.

The nominee had appeared for screening before the Senate but saw an inquest into his role as Minister of State for Labour and Employment during the administration of Muhammadu Buhari come under serious focus.

Keyamo was asked to explain why he blocked the House of Representatives and ignored Senate summons for key decisions he took as minister.

It led into a rowdy session before the chamber went into executive session.

But Akpabio dashed to the presidential villa and is currently holding a meeting with Tinubu.

Senate Steps Down Keyamo’s Screening After Uproar 

The Senate on Monday stepped down the screening of Festus Keyamo, a ministerial nominee, sent by President Bola Tinubu for confirmation.

Keyamo, one of the nominees from Delta State, appeared as the last nominee to be screened.

Keyamo had served as a Minister of State for Niger Delta said Labour and Employment under the administration of Muhammadu Buhari and served as the campaign spokesman for the Tinubu campaign organisation.

No sooner had Keyamo appeared and introduced himself than Darlington Nwokocha (Abia Central, Labour Party) asked why he ignored Senate summon over the controversial Special Public Works Programme for the employment of 774,000 citizens in 2020.

The Senate had approved N52 billion for the scheme.

But when summoned, Keyamo appeared before the House but refused to appear before the Senate.

When he appeared before the House of Representatives, it led to a shouting match.

Keyamo then accused the House that it wanted “to hijack the entire programme, taking over the power of the president in the process.”

He further said, “Meanwhile they are comfortable with the eight which are clearly stated like Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Jammatu Nasir Islam (JNI) and others. The others are youth organisations and we cannot list youth organisations because from state to state there are different youths organisations depending on the peculiarity of the state.

“The background to this was that a couple of days ago, they started mounting pressure on me that I must bring the list of those to select the 1000 persons from all the local government to them for them to direct me as to what to do from state to state.

“The chairman insisted I must come to them privately for them to hand over to me certain instructions as to how this programme will be across the country. I said ‘no’ that would be sharing the powers of the President and that I can only be answerable for what I have done by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution.

“They can only investigate the programme, they cannot direct it,” he had said.

Senator Nwokocha then recalled the episode which he described as unpleasant when Keyamo walked out on the House and refused to provide details of the scheme.

The senator was a House Member at the time.

After making the case, he raised a prayer that “the nominee must be made to explain who benefited from the scheme, even if at an executive session.”

Curiously, Akpabio responded to the motion saying, “Your motion has no seconder.”

That degenerated into an uproar before Enyinnaya Abaribe, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA, Abia South) seconded the prayer, but amended the prayer that “the nominee screening be stepped down.”

The presiding officer put the prayer to a vote but it led to a sharply divided house.

The ensuing chaos lasted for minutes forcing Akpabio to summon the leaders of the Senate to approach him for private discussion.

Akpabio expressed dissatisfaction with the uproar and referred the senators to Order 62 of the Senate Standing Rule which states that “Whenever the president of the Senate or the chairman rises during a debate, any senator then speaking or offering to speak shall immediately sit down.

“And the Senate or the committee shall be silent so that the president of the Senate or the chairman may hear without any interruption.

Akpabio said, “I am of the view that we are not the people that nominated the nominees that we have been screening from the president.

“A lot of indices must have been taken into consideration. Under a rowdy situation, we cannot arrive at anything.

“And I have noticed that even here, that you are prepared to even stretch the rule to even ask for a revision but we would not go that route.”

He called on the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) to “lead us right.”

Bamidele rose to say, “May I at this time move that we dissolve into an executive session to be able to iron out some issues.”

The motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadwon (PDP -Plateau).

Akpabio put the motion into vote and the Senate dissolved into the executive session afterwards after extending their time of sitting.

A report emerging has revealed that youths in the Republic of Niger, especially in the country’s capital city, Niamey, are currently forming vigilante groups ahead of possible military intervention by neighbouring countries to unseat the new junta.

Naija News reports that the ultimatum issued by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS’ to the junta to restore normalcy in the country elapsed on Sunday, August 6, 2023.

There has been tension all over as Niger’s democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, who was outed by the military junta, is still held captive.

It was, however, said that vigilante groups in Niger are already creating roadblocks at several junctions and roundabouts as they commence inspection of vehicles.

Daily Post quoted a DPA reporter in the country that the youths belong to support committees that previously organized demonstrations backing Niger’s new military rulers led by Bazoum’s former head bodyguard, General Abdourahmane Tchiani.

Niger’s military rulers closed the country’s airspace late on Sunday, warning that any attempt to violate it would be met with an “energetic and immediate response.’’

The country’s airspace would be closed to all aircraft until further notice, a statement from the military rulers added.

ECOWAS, which groups 15 West African countries, issued its ultimatum to the junta last Sunday.

The organization’s military chiefs have since drawn up a plan for possible military intervention.

After England’s dramatic ousting of Nigeria’s Super Falcons today in their Round of 16 matches, six countries have qualified for the quarter-final of the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup being played in New Zealand and Australia.

Naija News reported earlier that England defeated the Super Falcons of Nigeria 4-2 by penalty shoot-out following a goalless draw in 90 minutes and extra time played.

Australia, meanwhile, defeated Denmark 2-0, thanks to goals from Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso. The Round of 16 fixtures will continue on Tuesday as Colombia will clash with Jamaica, while France will tackle Morocco.

The six countries that have already qualified for the 2023 WWC are; England, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Japan and Sweden.

England and Australia were the latest countries to book their places in the quarter-final stage after beating Nigeria and Denmark, respectively, today.

“What will Tinubu look like after this time out? Studies upon studies have shown that leaders who drag their nations into unnecessary war expose themselves to a condition that threatens their retention of political power. Luckily for our president, his puny Senate has saved his face for him with a soft landing. But let him stop acting Reagan without the depth of Ronald Reagan. As Emeritus Professor Toyin Falola said in a private group discussion yesterday, Tinubu’s friends should tell him to recalibrate: “His handling of the coup in Niger is terrible: he forgets the large Hausa population; he forgets the Yoruba-Sabarumo alliance in Niger which can cause genocide to his Yoruba people…he forgets refugees; he forgets the pipeline passing through Niger to Morocco; he even forgets the rams needed for Ileya. His friends should tell him to recalibrate. As Mr. Macaroni would ask: “Are you normal?” Is Tinubu normal? In my only public piece on him, Adán, I explained the danger he represents, using the bat as a metaphor: a shifting character that feeds on its environment, destroys it, and moves away.”

One of the bitter lessons Bola Tinubu may have learnt in his abortive war against Niger Republic’s military junta is that with northern Nigeria, blood will always be thicker than water. In this matter, Niger Republic is blood; Nigeria, especially the part of it outside the Muslim north, is water. Northern Nigerians will not sacrifice their brothers and sisters in Niger for anything, not for a nebulous concept called ‘democracy’ and definitely not in defence of Western interests.

Last week, I looked at the geography of West Africa, its map and where Niger stands. I queried the rigour (or, even the wisdom) in ECOWAS slapping border closure on Niger when it should be clear to the leaders there that you cannot close a door you do not control: Benin Republic and Nigeria which are in Niger’s southern borders have frontier populations that would do anything to protect their brothers and sisters in Niger. Niger’s northern borders are shared with non-ECOWAS members, Libya and Algeria, who share very strong Muslim brotherhood ties with Niger. The other borders are with Burkina Faso in the southeast, with Mali in the west, and with Chad in the east – all under military rule, like Niger.

The last five days have been very testing for Nigeria. Tinubu last Thursday sent Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar (a retired Brigadier General) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar to Niamey to negotiate with the coup leaders. They came back empty-handed. That very day, northern Nigeria issued a carefully worded warning to Tinubu’s government to back off the course of attacking Niger. The north spoke through its umbrella group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which described a military action against Niger as “certainly not an adventure to be led by Nigeria.” The people on the other side, the north said, are “our brothers and sisters.” It reminded Tinubu that Nigeria and Niger “share a long historical border of more than one thousand five hundred kilometers with families and communities sharing common facilities including farmlands, markets, cultural bonds, and languages for many centuries predating the Trans Saharan Trade and colonial times.” Still, the president did not appear to have read the North. On Friday morning, Tinubu sent a letter to the Senate asking for approval to carry out ECOWAS resolutions on the Niger crisis. Military intervention is one of those resolutions. On Friday night, northern senators released a statement urging their colleagues from other parts of the country to join them to reject that call for war. The Senate on Saturday afternoon voted against the war plans of ECOWAS. Its chair and our president, Tinubu, can now smile away from the odious shame of defeat.

Because of Niger Republic, the North was restive throughout Friday and for much of Saturday its volcano was humming. Northern Nigeria was saying that it wouldn’t have Nigeria fight Niger, a country with which it had been one family before the British created Nigeria. Uthman dan Fodio was born in Maratta in the Tahoua region, present-day Niger; he died in 1817 in Sokoto, present-day Nigeria. Read Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History. Nothing, not Nigeria, not democracy, neither coup nor pressure from any patron abroad would make northern Nigeria cut its family tie with Niger. What clever leader walks so headily into a trap as Tinubu has done? He is, however, lucky; he has a Senate of night soil men that has helped him to clear the mess. But why did he think he could pull off a military campaign against Niger by Nigerian forces? Who would have helped him pull the trigger and fire the tanks? Why did he write the Senate? Why did he not look carefully at the ethno-religious demography of the Senate before unleashing his war whim on that chamber? He should have weighed the options he had.

Talking about weighing options before actions are taken. Reports say our North was/is not just against military action against Niger; it is also against plunging the neighbouring country into darkness by the Nigerian government. Watching your brother’s back is what family means. We supply about 75 percent of Niger’s electricity. This was disconnected some days ago on the orders of Tinubu. How wise was that option?

Long after this coup flood would have dried off, its tributaries will continue to ravage Nigeria-Niger relations. How right (or righteous) was that act of disconnection of electricity from Niger? Or how legal or illegal was it? The use of international waters is governed by international law moderated by bilateral/multilateral treaties, agreements and Acts. For River Niger (post-colonial), there are about six of such, starting with the Act of Niamey of 1963, the Agreement of November 1964, the Niamey Agreement of 1973, the 1980 Convention, the Protocol of December 1982 and the Water Charter of 2008, among others. These laws lay out “general principles for equitable and reasonable participation and use of the water of River Niger” and obligated parties “not to cause harm to other states” in accordance with the laws. A key agreement here was the decision not to have River Niger dammed by any of the upper-course states so as not to injure downstream Nigeria’s hydroelectric dams while Nigeria undertook to supply electricity to the upper riparian countries. Until last week, Nigeria kept to that agreement; but Niger Republic has long violated the pact. Our neighbour is building an ambitious dam,
Kandadji Dam, with a height of 280m, a length of 8,780m and a reservoir covering an area of 282 hectares. The dam, 489km away from Nigeria, should be ready by 2024 – next year- or 2025, but the injury envisaged in 1963 is already taking its toll.

The Niger Basin Authority manages River Niger for all its riparian states. Its National Focal Structure (NBA-NFS) meeting of 14 July, 2017 discussed what it described as “the dwindling flow of the River Niger, the development of Kandadji Dam project upstream of River Niger and other related issues.” Whatever that meeting decided did not stop Niger from going ahead with the project. In September 2021, the now deposed President Bazoum visited the construction site, he sounded upbeat and said that “all the obstacles have been lifted..in a few months you will see the project taking shape.” He explained that the dam was aimed at addressing dependence on Nigeria for electricity supply. Bazoum’s predecessor, Mahamadou Issoufou, who started the project, was also quoted as explaining the dam’s objectives: “It is not only a question of producing electricity, but also of regenerating the river’s ecosystem, while creating the conditions for local development.” What has happened to the treaties and their implications? Article 17 of the 1964 Agreement says “The Act of Niamey together with this Agreement may be denounced by any one of the riparian states after the expiration of a period of ten years from the date of its coming into force.” The Agreement goes further to prescribe the procedure for the denunciation. Did Niger Republic follow that process before starting the project in 2017? If it did, what did our government do? Because blood is thicker than water, Niger’s negative activities and their ‘injurious effects’ went on under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari without a word of protest from our leader. He, instead, feted Issoufou and his successor, Bazoum; they feted him so much also that he publicly announced that he would relocate to Niger if Nigeria became unliveable for him.

If northern Nigeria needs to throw the south of Nigeria into the Atlantic to save Niger Republic, it will. This should not rile us. A former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, once noted that “the Niger-Nigeria border is artificial.” He said “it was drawn in the colonial period by London and Paris…to check German expansion in West Africa rather than recognition of ethnicities or other indigenous factors.” Niger’s population is 25.25 million. The Hausa share of that figure is 13.07 million – more than half of the total. We have Fulani, Kanuri, Tuareg Arabs in our northern population; Niger has them too. So, the people along that axis share much more than geography; they see no border, what they see is family. An American political scientist, Williams Miles, about 18 years ago looked at what he called “local versus external perceptions of Niger-Nigeria boundary” and submitted that “for the border-line Hausa, identity is not zero-sum: feeling more and more Nigérien/Nigerian does not result in diminution of their ‘Hausa-ness'”(see Williams F. S. Miles, 2005: 297). Their ethnicity and religion are their country, not Nigeria, not Niger. In that corridor, you can’t define the concepts of citizenship and nationality and get them right. Each person there belongs, daily, to the country where dawn meets them. Miles (2005:307) says that in 1998, the Nigeria-Niger Border Commission identified eight ‘Nigerian’ villages in Nigerien territory and nine ‘Nigerien’ villages on Nigerian soil. He adds that there are tens of villages halved between the two countries and that there are “inhabitants with farmland straddling the boundary (who) had to choose one colonial side or the other. French subjects were not supposed to farm on ‘English’ territory, and vice versa. As a result of ‘intermarriage’ (e.g., a ‘French’ Hausa man marrying an ‘English’ Hausa woman) and ensuing inheritance
complexities, it has become quite possible for a son to claim his family and heritage in Niger, even if he himself grew up in Nigeria and is a citizen thereof.”

If Tinubu did not appreciate these facts before he started his Niger misadventure, he should now. His teacher is the torrent of negative vibes from northern Nigeria because of its twin brother- Niger Republic.

Can we leave Niger alone to decide what it wants? It is not the first (and won’t be the last) to suffer a military coup. My people say that it is with one’s mouth that one rejects what one does not want to eat. When Nigerians wanted democracy, we were in the trenches for almost two decades fighting for it. We’ve not heard a word of condemnation of the coup from inside Niger. Al’ára ní ara ò ro òun; why are we taking analgesic on behalf of neighbours who insist they feel no pain? Nigerians are hungry, they are talking food; their president is talking war. Should it be like that? Why the undue interest in Niger’s affairs by Nigeria and its ECOWAS? We can understand the superpowers and the unease around them that almost threatens a world war. There is something in Niger for them. Canadian news agency, Reuters, last Friday gave a further hint. It wrote that Niger Republic has strategic significance for the United States, for China, Europe and Russia given its uranium and oil riches and pivotal role in the war with Islamist rebels in the Sahel region. Niger has one of the largest uranium deposits in the world. It, in fact, accounts for about five percent of global uranium supplies. United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) statistics shows that France, with 56 operable nuclear reactors, has one of the largest nuclear power programmes in the world. Its nuclear reactors generated 361 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2021 – 68 percent of the country’s annual electricity generation. That feat is from Niger’s high-grade uranium. Niger gives electricity to rich France, but because Africa has leaders who sleep on their brains, uranium-rich Niger has no reactor – and cannot have a reactor; over 80 percent of Niger is in darkness and the country itself is one of the world’s poorest.

So, why is the world in turmoil because of a tiny, poverty-ridden country in backwater Africa? The drivers of global politics do not get serious to benefit others. In international relations and politics, national interest is an instrument of political action; it justifies anything and everything. And, because Africa’s husbands’ national interest must prevail at all times, sometimes without their footfalls being heard, they use, misuse and misgovern our leaders; they send them on slave errands. That is very manifest in the current Niger debacle. Tinubu and his brother West African presidents should reread 17th-century poet, Jean de La Fontaine’s tale of The Monkey and the Cat: “shrewd, wily monkey convinces unwitting (or downright stupid) Cat to pull chestnuts from a hot fire. Cat scoops chestnuts from the fire one by one, burning his paw as he does so; Monkey eagerly gobbles them up, leaving none for the Cat.” They should also read about Vladmir Lenin’s “useful idiots”, a ‘simple’ people routinely used cynically by their lords and masters to push a cause they know little or nothing about and is of no benefit to them.

What will Tinubu look like after this time out? Studies upon studies have shown that leaders who drag their nations into unnecessary war expose themselves to a condition that threatens their retention of political power. Luckily for our president, his puny Senate has saved his face for him with a soft landing. But let him stop acting Reagan without the depth of Ronald Reagan. As Emeritus Professor Toyin Falola said in a private group discussion yesterday, Tinubu’s friends should tell him to recalibrate: “His handling of the coup in Niger is terrible: he forgets the large Hausa population; he forgets the Yoruba-Sabarumo alliance in Niger which can cause genocide to his Yoruba people…he forgets refugees; he forgets the pipeline passing through Niger to Morocco; he even forgets the rams needed for Ileya. His friends should tell him to recalibrate. As Mr. Macaroni would ask: “Are you normal?” Is Tinubu normal? In my only public piece on him, Adán, I explained the danger he represents, using the bat as a metaphor: a shifting character that feeds on its environment, destroys it, and moves away.”

Because Tinubu is famed to be smart and wise, this final word should be enough counsel for him.

In a dramatic turn of events, coup leaders in Niger have issued a rallying call to the nation’s citizens, urging them to prepare for the defense of the homeland. The move comes after the expiration of a deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which had demanded the swift restoration of democratic governance in the country.

General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the long-standing head of the Presidential Guard since 2011, took to state television to declare himself as the leader of the newly formed “National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.” This proclamation signals a consolidation of power among the coup leaders, as they appear poised to defy international pressures to relinquish control.

The ECOWAS deadline had given the coup leaders a clear ultimatum to return power to civilian rule, following the ousting of the democratically elected government. As the deadline passed, tensions escalated, with General Tchiani’s broadcast raising the stakes even higher. The international community watches with bated breath as the situation unfolds.

The Nigerien population finds itself at a critical juncture, torn between loyalty to democratic principles and concerns for the stability of their nation. The call to arms by the coup leaders has left many citizens unsure of the path forward, as they grapple with the potential consequences of resistance against the newly established authority.

ECOWAS, a regional bloc known for its commitment to upholding democratic norms, has condemned the coup and its subsequent power grab. The organization had implemented targeted sanctions and diplomatic pressure in an effort to restore civilian rule. However, General Tchiani’s televised announcement has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the effectiveness of these measures.

While the international community remains united in its condemnation of the coup, the situation on the ground is becoming increasingly complex. The people of Niger now face a difficult decision as they navigate the call to defend their homeland against the backdrop of escalating tensions and political uncertainty.

As the world holds its breath, the fate of Niger hangs in the balance. Will the citizens heed the call to defend their homeland, or will the pressure from ECOWAS and the international community push the coup leaders to reconsider their course of action? The coming days will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of this crisis and determine whether Niger can find a path back to democratic governance.

Source: Spectator Index

The ECOWAS delegation to Niger led by former Nigerian military leader Abdulsalami Abubakar was humiliated Thursday by the Nigerien junta as the members were prevented from leaving the airport, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

A Nigerian government source briefed about the visit told this newspaper that the three-man team sent to negotiate with the junta leaders was not allowed into the country.

Before departing Abuja, the delegation had informed Niamey of its mission and the latter showed readiness to receive them, the source said. However, this turned out to be a plot to humiliate the sub-regional bloc.

ECOWAS on Wednesday named Mr Abubakar, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, as envoys to Niger. They were expected to engage all stakeholders robustly with a view to doing whatever it takes to ensure a conclusive and amicable resolution of the situation in Niger for the purposes of African peace and development.

According to the source, the delegation was received from the aircraft at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, when they arrived at the Niamey airport, by a five-man team led by General Moussa Barmou (Head of General Staff). The general, however, told them that they could not be allowed into the city, citing security reasons.

The delegation was taken to a room in the airport, the source told PREMIUM TIMES.

Pictures of the delegation and Niger soldiers sitting at a table emerged online last Thursday with many thinking that was part of the official meetings the ECOWAS delegation was sent to hold.

However, contrary to public perception, the picture was that of the ECOWAS leaders being kept in a room at the airport by the soldiers who came to receive them.

After about five hours of pleading to be allowed into the city to see the leader of the junta General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the team left Niger making no headway.

The ECOWAS delegation was told to return to Nigeria while the junta reviews their request and revert. They arrived in Nigeria at about 1:00 a.m. on Friday.

Third Delegation

The Abdulsalami-led delegation is however not the first delegation to be sent to Niger by ECOWAS. It is in fact the third.

In the early hours of Wednesday, 26 July, when President Mohamed Bazoum was still detained and the coup had not been officially announced, a three-member team led by the Director General of Nigeria’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar, was also sent to negotiate with the coup leaders.

Former Governor of Katsina Aminu Masari and Chief of Air Staff Hassan Abubakar were part of the team, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

They were quickly dispatched to Niger when the news of President Bazoum’s detention came in.

However, as soon as the delegation left Niamey, the coup was declared; a clear indication that the mission failed.

Another delegation was sent after the coup was officially announced. The delegation was sent on the day the ECOWAS Heads of State met in Abuja in an emergency meeting convened by the chair, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.

The President of Chad, Mahamat Dérby, was sent to Niger where he met with the junta leader, Mr Bazoum and former President Mahamadou Issoufou.

He offered the junta a “soft landing” which was also rejected.

The Chad leader shared pictures he took with Mr Bazoum and the coup leaders on the social networking platform, X (formerly called Twitter).

Après avoir effectué ce matin un séjour éclair de consultation à Abuja au Nigeria sur l’invitation du président Nigérian, Président en exercice de la CEDEAO, j’ai bouclé mon déplacement par une visite au #Niger qui traverse une crise politique majeure.

À Niamey, j’ai eu des… pic.twitter.com/jxiM0TCiXS

— Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno (@GmahamatIdi) July 30, 2023

Benin’s President Patrice Talon was also sent to Niger. However, it remains unclear if he made the trip.

When asked about the outcome of the visit of the Abdulsalami-led delegation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adamu Lamuwa, last Friday said “Negotiations are ongoing, it is too early to preempt the outcome of the discussion.”

PREMIUM TIMES also reached Mr Tinubu’s spokesperson Ajuri Ngalele for comments. In response, he shared a post he made on X which read, “H.E. President @officialABAT on Sunday evening met with Governors of States that share boundaries with Niger Republic at the State House in Abuja. The meeting was part of wider consultations by the President on the situation in Niger.”

The governors of Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, Katsina, and Jigawa were in attendance at the meeting.

ECOWAS last Sunday issued a seven days ultimatum to the Niger putschists to ensure a return to democracy. However, the deadline lapsed Sunday night and there has been no formal announcement of the next line of action by the regional bloc.

ECOWAS defence chiefs met in Nigeria between Wednesday and Friday last week agreeing on a plan of action.

“All the elements that would go into any eventual intervention have been brought out here and been refined, including the timing, the resources needed and the how and where and when we are going to deploy such a force,” said Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security at the meeting of defence chiefs.

President Tinubu last week notified the National Assembly of the ECOWAS resolutions including the possibility of troops deployment. Parliamentary approval would be needed to deploy Nigeria’s troops.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Senate opposed troop deployment and advised Mr Tinubu and ECOWAS to explore a political solution to the crisis.

[PREMIUM TIMES]