TheCable

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has asked the authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reconsider its interventions in the crisis going on in the Niger Republic. 

The regional body had on Sunday after an extraordinary session presided over by President Bola Tinubu, its chairperson, in Abuja, resolved to impose several sanctions on the military junta that toppled the democratic government in Niger.

The organisation announced the closure of all land and air borders between member countries and Niger and moved to suspend all commercial and financial transactions between member states and the country.

Part of the ECOWAS’ resolution was also to use all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the unstable West African country, including the use of force, if its demands are not met in a week’s time.

However, Falana advised the bloc against military interventions and asked the organisation to explore other alternatives.

“Apart from suspending Niger from ECOWAS, the leaders of the sub-regional body should refrain from attending international conferences with coup plotters as was recently witnessed during the recently concluded Russia-Africa summit held in St. Petersburg, Russia,” the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said in a statement on Tuesday.

 “While the resolve of the ECOWAS leaders to resort to force to restore President Mohamed Bazoum is understandable, the acceptance of the coup by the majority of the Nigerien people must be seriously considered.

 “Having not invaded Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali when power-drunk soldiers sacked democratically elected governments, ECOWAS leaders should not play into the hands of the enemies of Africa by launching a military attack on Niger.”

Falana asked Tinubu to consider geopolitical interests with the Nigerien government, especially as the latter has collaborated with Nigeria in prosecuting the counter-insurgency operations against Islamist militancy.