The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the umbrella body of Northern Nigeria, has warned President Bola Tinubu and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against military intervention in Niger Republic.
On Sunday, July 30, ECOWAS directed the closure of Land and air borders between member states against the Niger Republic over a military coup d’etat that removed democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum from office.
President Bola Tinubu who chairs the Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS, also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military in Niger Republic to restore the ousted President.
The West African regional body also ordered the freezing of all Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals funds in commercial banks in all ECOWAS member states.
According to ECOWAS, if the demand is not met within one week, all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger, including the use of force, will be taken.
On Friday, August 4, the Nigerien military Junta announced it had severed all ties with Nigeria saying the Tinubu government was now an enemy.
Reacting to the unfolding events, Arewa warned that military intervention in the West African country would have consequences for Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday through its General Secretary, Murtala Aliyu, ACF called for dialogue to resolve the issue.
The statement partly read:
“ACF, however, views with concern the unfolding events in Nigeria’s immediate neighbour, the Republic of Niger, and the potential impact on the region.
“The measures being contemplated should have taken into consideration the historical antecedents and mutual interests of the two countries and weighed the consequences of the use of military force.
“While the ACF recognises the ECOWAS position to bring pressure to bear on the perpetrators, nevertheless the military option shouldn’t be a prerequisite for Nigeria’s and the Community’s continuing efforts to enthrone democracy in the region in the 21st century.
“To this end, ACF notes that while it supports the position to restore democratic rule in Niger, it calls on the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government under the able Chairmanship of President Bola Tinubu, that it should toe the path of dialogue and diplomacy and certainly not force, in resolving the current impasse in Niger in the interest of peaceful coexistence with our brotherly neighbour and stability of the ECOWAS region,” it added.
