Even hawkish El-Rufai cancels Tinubu’s ‘war between brothers’
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, a hawkish Islamic jihadist and close ally of Bola Tinubu, has cautioned the President and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against going to war in Niger Republic.
ECOWAS defence chiefs have pledged readiness for a standby force to restore democracy in Niger and they stressed on Tuesday there may be no alternative to war if the soldiers who toppled and detained President Mohamed Bazoum fail to back down.
“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 one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria,” El-Rufai posted on Twitter, now known as X, per The PUNCH.
“Let us bend therefore over backwards to avoid this civil war between brothers.”
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has also urged Tinubu to employ diplomacy in addressing the coup in Niger Republic because “military intervention is now regarded as an aberration around the world.”
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Nigeriens rally support for coupists
Thousands of Nigeriens demonstrated in Niamey on Sunday in support of the coup, whose leader has warned against outside intervention and proposed a three-year transition of power to civil rule
The demonstrators chanted slogans hostile to former colonial power France and ECOWAS.
The military leaders have officially banned demonstrations but in practice, those in support of the coup are permitted.
The demonstrators waved placards saying “Stop the military intervention” and “No to sanctions”, a reference to cuts in financial aid and trade restrictions imposed by ECOWAS since the July 26 coup.
Sunday’s rally was accompanied by musicians endorsing the new military regime, AFP journalists reported, per Vanguard.
The latest in a string of pro-coup rallies came a day after the new ruler in Niamey, General Abdourahamane Tiani, warned that a foreign military incursion into Niger would not be a “walk in the park”.
In a televised address late Saturday, Tiani also said he did not want to “confiscate” power and promised a return to civilian rule within three years.
Niger’s new leaders have accused France, a close Bazoum ally, of being behind the anti-coup stance taken by ECOWAS, which on Saturday made a fresh push for a diplomatic solution by sending to Niamey a delegation led by former Nigerian leader Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Unlike a previous mission in early August, this time the delegation held talks with Tiani and also met Bazoum, who is being held with his family at the presidential palace and could be facing treason charges.
Images on Niger television showed Bazoum smiling and shaking hands with members of the delegation.
Abubakar hopeful talks will resolve impasse
“There is still hope,” Abubakar said in televised comments, disclosing the visit resulted in finding “a key for pursuing talks until an outcome for this difficult situation”.
Tiani alleged in his televised address last Saturday that ECOWAS is “getting ready to attack Niger by setting up an occupying army in collaboration with a foreign army”, without saying which country he meant.
“If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think.”
Tiani also announced a 30-day period of “national dialogue” to draw up “concrete proposals” to lay the foundations of “a new constitutional life”.
ECOWAS leaders say they have to act now that Niger has become the fourth West African nation since 2020 to suffer a coup, following Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.
The bloc has agreed to activate a “standby force” as a last resort to restore democracy in Niger.
The Sahel region is struggling with growing jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Those behind the military takeovers have pointed to frustration over the violence to justify seizing power.
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