Former Kaduna Senator, Shehu Sani has warned that some Northern states will be affected if ECOWAS troops invade Niger Republic.
In an article titled “Thirteen reasons why Nigerians should not support any armed invasion of Niger”, Shehu Sani said that an armed invasion of Niger would mean Nigeria going to war with its neighbouring country.
Mr Sani questioned why the American and French military bases in Niger did not put an end to the coup and urged President Bola Tinubu to resist being pressured into starting a war with Niger because he would eventually be left stranded.
“ECOWAS armed invasion of Niger Republic is simply a war between Nigeria and Niger because of our proximity. 2. Russia and Wagner May come in support of the Niger Republic and Nigeria will have to use its own money to prosecute the operation; Nigeria offsets 70 per cent of the budget of ECOWAS.
“I don’t see the US Congress approving unlimited arms supplies for ECOWAS to wage war against another country. 3. Our Bordering states of Sokoto, Zamfar Katsinana, Jigawa and Yobe will incur direct hit in the event of war,” Sani said.
“ 4. If there was no military action to dislodge the military coups in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad, why that of the Niger Republic?. 5. Why did the American and French military bases inside the Niger Republic refuse to stop the coup and now they are encouraging us to go to war?
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6. Niger has been helpful to Nigeria in the fight against terrorist groups and the country is currently hosting over 303 thousand Nigerian refugees; in the event of war, this can be in danger. 7. President Tinubu should000000 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 Repubeveryoneonee will be relying on Nigeria. 8. We should not cry more than the bereaved; If the people of Niger Republic don’t want Military rule, let them fight to remove it themselves. We fought our military rulers and some of us even went to jail in that struggle. Let them fight their fight.,” he added.
“9. Saudi Arabia is still bugged down in Yemen after spending hundreds of billions of dollars which we don’t have. 10. The Military Regime in Myanmar is still there and not one stronger nation is contemplating military action.
11. We have a war at home against terrorism let’s concentrate here. 12. Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinean forces will likely enter the war to Support Niger Republic and they will attack Nigerian territories. 13. President Tinubu must continue to toe the line of dialogue with the military authorities in Niger and not War.”
