Why You Must Avoid War With Niger – El-Rufai Warns Tinubu

The immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday, lent his voice to the calls against a military intervention in Niger being contemplated by the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, under the chairmanship of President Bola Tinubu.

Recall that President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger was ousted by his elite presidential guard on July 26th, a development which has since been condemned by the US, the UK, France, and ECOWAS, who in addition to slamming sanctions on the country, has also called for the restoration of democratic rule in the restive west African nation.

ECOWAS had warned that should the junta fail to hand over power to Bazoum and return the county to civil rule, it would carry a military action in the country to restore democracy.

Taking to his official X handle, El-Rufai said using force to resolve the crisis has potential consequences of a conflict between the Niger and Northern Nigeria, whom he described as brothers.

He wrote: “As ECOWAS beats the drums of war, I recall the 1970s rock classic by Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms’, because a war within our subregion is a war between brothers.

“Indeed, the people of Niger Republic are the same with those living in Northern Nigeria. Let us bend therefore over backwards to avoid this civil war between brothers.”

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily reported that the military junta in Niger has said he will hand over power in three years, a position that has been rejected by ECOWAS.