Posted by The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has warned that military intervention in the Republic of Niger will spread violence throughout the West African sub-region.
According to the EBANTAL on Friday, President Bola Tinubu informed the National Assembly of the potential military action by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against the Nigerien military junta that just seized control.
However, the Northern Senators Forum issued a statement on Friday rejecting the alternative of war and calling for political and diplomatic means to restore democratic administration in that country, in response to the President’s plea.
The CNG, through its Spokesperson Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, released a statement on Saturday alleging the presence of a diabolical international power game in Niger involving Western powers on the one hand, Russia and China on the other, and some other African countries on the sidelines.
It warned that any military intervention in Niger would be rejected and deemed an invasion by Russia/China, Mali, and Burkina Faso in light of developments in other Sahel nations that are part of a global power chess game.
The coalition emphasized that popular opinion in Nigeria was strongly against a military intervention by Nigerian authorities to restore civilian government in Niger.
It pointed out that Nigeria, which is currently struggling with its hard economic reality, will be expected to spend billions to conduct the war.
The statement continued, “We join other Nigerians particularly the Northern Senators Forum in rejecting the option of war and calling instead for political and diplomatic means to restore democratic government in that country.”
The northern faction urged the federal government to refrain from going to war until all diplomatic and economic options for convincing the junta in Niger to hand control back to the elected government had been exhausted.
It also warned President Tinubu that a military intervention in Niger should be Nigeria’s last resort due to the country’s current political fragility and the country’s national interest.