By Linus Aleke
As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Niger military coupists, beat drums of war, amidst the recent unconstitutional change of government in the Niger Republic, a retired General, in the Nigerian Army, Major General Henry Ayoola, (Rtd), has urged Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, to exhaust diplomatic options available to them, before employing kinetic approach, in restoring democratic order in Niger.
General Ayoola, gave this charge, while analysing the Niger Coup d’etat, at Africa Independent Television (AIT), flagship programme, “Focus Nigeria,” monitored by ThisNigeria.
The former Commander (Special Task Force), Operation Safe Haven in Jos, Plateau State, Major Gen. Henry Ayoola, (Rtd), observed that ECOWAS and the EU already have a template for dealing with issues like coup d’etat.
He added that it is a matter of looking at the uniqueness of this situation because no two situation is the same.
He further tasked the sub-regional body to look at the uniqueness of this situation and see, which of the instruments of diplomacy can be used to resolve the impasse without spilling blood.
He said: “You have also, brought to the fore one of the strategic importance of the Republic of Niger, being a member of Lake Chad Basin and a contributing country to the Multinational Joint Taskforce.
Recall, unlike NATO which you referred to in the case of America going to war, in the middle east, NATO is a security alliance. ECOWAS, if you remember how it started, as the name implied, it was an economic interest that brought them together. The scope of their responsibility has expanded over time because of this challenging phenomenon. The case in Liberia is quite different from the coup now.
If you remember the Liberian case, it snowballed into civil war, so, it is far from dealing with the issue of coup. As I said earlier, ECOWAS, and the EU already have a template for dealing with coup situations. So, it is a matter of looking at the uniqueness of this situation, because no two situation is the same.
Look at the uniqueness of this and see, which of the instruments of diplomacy can be used to resolve the impasse and of course, while doing that, we must always prepare for the eventuality”.
He also noted that bringing troops together, even in the multinational joint task force, will be an additional burden in Nigeria.
He argued that Nigeria is a major contributor, both in terms of troops, finances and other logistics, stressing that in the ultimate analysis, the burden will still be on Nigeria.
One thing I am very curious about, he said, is that Nigeria as a nation had always missed most of the interventions it had done in the past.
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He stressed that Nigeria often does not look at what it stands to gain at the end of some of these interventions, arguing that America does not just go to a place for the fun of it, there is always a national interest.
Asked if in an event where the military option comes to the fore, will it be a quick or long operation taking into consideration the balance of force amongst the interest groups, the former Commander, said, “Often when there is war, there is always a temptation to say that this war will last this long. But from my knowledge of military history or the history of war, every commander that had made such a guess in the past has always been wrong. Because in war, the vagaries, fluidity, and uncertainty about war are too wide that we cannot begin to guess. But if you apply an overwhelming force in such a way that gives an advantage stage to shorten the war, that is one option to look at”.
Recall that the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr Omar Touray, on Sunday revealed that all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member states, will proceed for an emergency meeting to strategise on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore Bazoum to office.
The meeting, he said, is aimed at putting together, a kinetic approach, that will be activated if the military junta failed to comply with the directive by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government had on the same day issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerien military to restore constitutional order and reinstate ousted President Muhammed Bazoum into office.
The planned kinetic operations are part of decisions at the extraordinary meeting of leaders of ECOWAS member-states at the State House, Abuja, to discuss the happenings in Niger Republic.
The sub-regional bloc also imposed land and border closures, as well as suspend all commercial flights between Niger and ECOWAS member states.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Niger Coup, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, warned against any armed intervention in the country as West African heads of state gather in Nigeria’s capital for an emergency summit to decide on further actions to pressure the army to restore constitutional order.
In a statement read on Niger national television on Saturday night, military spokesperson Colonel Amadou Abdramane said, “The objective of the [ECOWAS] meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are non-members of ECOWAS, and certain Western countries.
“We want to once more remind ECOWAS or any other adventurer of our firm determination to defend our homeland”.
