Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has charged army chiefs of West African states to support the directive of ECOWAS to restore democracy to Niger and other West African countries that are experiencing military takeovers.
He said they must also be loyal to their heads of state in order to restore democracy in Niger.
Speaking at the opening of a 2-day extraordinary meeting of army chiefs of some West African states over sending troops to Niger to restore constitutional order in Accra on Thursday, he said the ECOWAS sub-region is facing a crisis that was thought to have disappeared within the last 15 years.
The meeting follows a decision by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States to activate a standby force in the crisis-hit West African nation.
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The West African bloc had initially given the military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani a seven-day ultimatum to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum as President.
After the ultimatum elapsed, the Authority decided on Thursday, August 10, in Abuja, Nigeria, to explore other options, including an intervention by stand-by force.
He said the region in the past has been bedeviled by coup d’états and military take-overs while other regions do not have same.
He added saying difficult moment after the challenges in the 60’s, the 70’s and particularly the 90’s…you and your dedicated and loyal troops today stand on the threshold of history as professionals who are being tasked to help the people of West Africa to enable them to continue to elect their leaders through free, fair and transparent elections” he continued.
He noted that the vast majority of people in the sub-region do not want to live under difficulties being faced by countries today.
Mr. Nitiwul said he is optimistic that the security heads will put their experiences together to be able to activate the ECOWAS standby force.
On his part, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel Fatau Musa says that the fundamental issue is that ECOWAS is protecting it protocols.
“Periodically, when ECOWAS deployed the standby force to The Gambia, to make sure that a president who had lost elections vacated the presidency, no body made noise, today they are saying ‘why are you intervening in Niger. So serious interests are at stake here but that is not going to divert ECOWAS’ attention.”
To him, the reasons given by the coup leaders in Niger are not justified and constitutional rule will be restored at all cost in Niger.
Written by: Anthony Sasu Ayisadu/ATLFMNEWS
