The megalomaniacs and deranged elements in Niger, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, who overthrew democratically-elected governments, should be flushed out by force of arms. By now, the Nigerian armed forces, armed to the teeth, should have massed at the borders between Nigeria and Niger waiting for the orders from President Bola Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief, to produce in Abuja, dead or alive, the power usurper in Niger, General Abdourahamane Tchiani.

ECOWAS should lead the battle to restore democratically-elected government of President Mohammed Bazoum of Niger with deliberate speed. However, since the coup in Niger threatens our security, in all ramifications, Nigeria is protected by international law to act alone. Pre-emptive strikes are justified in international law.

When the first military coup in West Africa took place in Togo in January, 1963, we believed it could never happen in Nigeria. But it spread like a wild fire in a scorching sun across West Africa. Nigeria was hard hit by the destructive tsunami. Another wild fire of coups set off in Mali in August, 2020 by some misguided officers has consumed Guinea, Burkina Faso and now Republic of the Niger. If it is not put out, it is bound to consume more countries in the sub region.

In virtually all the cases, whether in Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso or Niger, no military officers seize power on behalf of the people. The military usually cashes in on the frustration of the public to stage a coup in order to satisfy the lust of its officers for power. Hence one military coup usually leads to another.

When Col. Assimi Goita first seized power in Mali and pressured by ECOWAS not to head the transition government, this writer predicted he would still overthrown the Bah Ndaw-led interim government in order to satisfy the coupists’ lust for power. And when that came to pass, this writer urged the then President Muhammadu Buhari to lead a coalition to force the Goita-led coupists out of power.


“Military officers do not grab power on behalf of the masses. The coup in Niger threatens Nigeria’s security, in all ramifications. Tinubu must not allow it to stand”


He also cast a reflection on the Nigerian President hosting the new military ruler from Chad. “Beamed live to the world, it underscores the exaggeration of the role of the military in any political community,” I submitted.

Military officers do not grab power on behalf of the masses. When Lt. Moussa Traore seized power by force of arms from the civilian President Modibo Keita in 1968, the Malian citizens welcomed the ‘saviour’ from the barracks!

Traore had cashed in on the economic hardship of the masses. But what did the Malians get in return for their embrace of the unelected ‘saviour’? Brutal dictatorship that lasted for 22 (twenty-two) years until another military putsch swept Traore from power! It was the same story in Nigeria, Guinea and other West African countries.

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Alfa Belgore, once lamented how military rule stifled Nigerian development. He recalled the many development agreements with the German government in critical sectors of the country’s economy in the early 60s, which had to be abandoned because of army rule.The strong economic foundation laid by our founding founders began a gradual plunge from the period of military take-over in January 15, 1966, notwithstanding the oil money that came later, which was largely mismanaged.

Martial rule signalled the premature death or decimation of hundreds of flourishing industries, many of them multi-nationals. Even those established during the heyday of the army rule did not survive the depredations of the subsequent military governments, as one coup succeeded another.

The then flourishing private/ mission schools were taken over by force, progressively decayed and destroyed. Today, the carcasses of these schools are being returned to their original owners! The public corporations too collapsed under the mismanagement of military regimes – Nigerian Railway, Nigeria Airways, Nigerian National Shipping Line, etc., etc. Indeed, things became so bad for the country that national aircraft and ships were seized in foreign countries on account of unpaid debts!

No government could match military regimes in the art of corruption. Indeed, it can be argued that the civil governments accused of corruption by coup-makers could actually pass for saints. General Abacha alone is credited to have looted about $5 billion (five billion dollars)!

Consequently, my snorts of contempt could be heard on the streets of Bamako when on the 18th day of August, 2020, news filtered to the world that many Malian civilians had welcomed the military putsch against the embattled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. The same uninformed masses have trooped out or have been prodded to welcome another junta in Niger. Coups after coups, the African populations have failed to learn from history!

The concept of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of independent nations has never stood the test of practice. Sooner or later, a restive state erupts into crisis or full-scale war and its neighbours, willy-nilly, have to share in the negative consequences. Timely intervention in the domestic affairs of other nations could help save the world from the horrors of this age and make it a better place to live. The more reason why we must deal with the coup cancer before it spreads to destroy the entire West-African body. Under the doctrine of self-defence and prevention of crime Nigeria has a duty to deal with the coup in Niger and prevent its spread to its territory.

No government could match military regimes in the art of corruption. Indeed, it can be argued that the civil governments accused of corruption by coup-makers could actually pass for saints. General Abacha alone is credited to have looted about $5 billion (five billion dollars)!

Consequently, my snorts of contempt could be heard on the streets of Bamako when on the 18th day of August, 2020, news filtered to the world that many Malian civilians had welcomed the military putsch against the embattled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. The same uninformed masses have trooped out or have been prodded to welcome another junta in Niger. Coups after coups, the African populations have failed to learn from history!

The concept of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of independent nations has never stood the test of practice. Sooner or later, a restive state erupts into crisis or full-scale war. Timely intervention in the domestic affairs of other nations could help save the world from the horrors of this age and make it a better place to live. The more reason why we must deal with the coup cancer before it spreads to destroy the entire West-African body. Under the doctrine of self-defence and prevention of crime Nigeria has a duty to deal with the coup in Niger and prevent its spread to its territory.

The coup in Niger is another slap in the face for Africa, ECOWAS, Nigeria – the most populous and powerful nation in the sub regional bloc and President Tinubu – the leader of the largest democracy in West Africa. The President must not allow it to stand. We must all support any action taken by the President to crush the unconstitutional takeover in Niger and destroy the coup cancer once and for all. We reject any recrudescence of military rule in West Africa.

Soyombo, a media practitioner, writes via densityshow@yahoo.com



https://independent.ng/coup-in-niger-tinubu-should-use-force/

Christianity is the only religion of Peace, accept Jesus as your Lord and savior now before is too late.

A lady shared a post of the conversion of over 300 Muslims who gave their life to Christ in Okhene, Kogi state when they eventually found out the truth and met with the Prince of Peace.

https://www.nairaland.com/7791075/conversion

https://www.nairaland.com/7754597/christianity-only-religion-peace

https://www.nairaland.com/7766527/god-father-son-jesus-christ

This is E Bola TINUBU's war.. Not NIGERIA's war.. He should mobilize he's APC card carrying members and agberos for this purpose.

MC oluomo should be appointed as the chairman of the war.

The Nigeria Military is to defend Nigeria .. not to be abused as an aggressor on another SOVEREIGN State over their internal domestic affairs

ECOWAS or Ebola?

Election defeat is truly painful. See Easterners everywhere supporting rebels and coupist in Niger, a country they once detest so much during Buhari administration.
Military intervention in Niger is non-negotiable, it's a slap on our face if we fold our hands and allow those rebels truncate democracy in our subregion.
Obidient people should start moving on and advise their principal to start preparing for 2027.

Change is the only constant thing in life. In Africa, coup is reigning now.

CIA fingers typed this post.

It's very glaring now for everybody when we say the Igbos were behind the first coup in Nigeria in 1966, because they lost out in the alliances of the Balewa government and Akintola, the same thing they are doing now trying to push for coup in Nigeria because their tribesman Obi lost out...history is just beautiful..and some people can never change ..it's just their nature ..

Unittyy:
Election defeat is truly painful. See Easterners everywhere supporting rebels and coupist in Niger, a country they once detest so much during Buhari administration.
Military intervention in Niger is non-negotiable, it's a slap on our face if we fold our hands and allow those rebels truncate democracy in our subregion.
Obidient people should start moving on and advise their principal to start preparing for 2027.

UcheKingsley1:
ECOWAS or Ebola?

E-COWARDS