President Bola Tinubu has communicated with the Nigerian Senate, requesting its support in relation to the deployment of military personnel to the Niger.
He has also sought the legislature’s backing on the issue of cutting off electricity supply to the country.
Earlier, NRTC reported the toppling of Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, by his guards.
In response, President Tinubu, who is Nigeria’s president and the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), convened a meeting with other ECOWAS leaders on Sunday to discuss appropriate measures to restore democracy in Niger.
During this meeting, the West African regional bloc’s leaders deliberated on potential sanctions to be imposed on the military personnel responsible for the coup that occurred on July 26, 2023.
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Tinubu’s letter to the Senate outlined the political situation in Niger and ECOWAS’s stance on the coup. The regional body, under his leadership, condemned the coup entirely and resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected government to restore peace. Following the meeting, ECOWAS issued a communique detailing its decisions.
In his communication to the Senate, President Tinubu sought support for several courses of action, including the “Military buildup and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant.”
He also proposed the “Closure and monitoring of all land borders with the Niger Republic and reactivating the border drilling exercise.”
Another measure President Tinubu requested support for was “Cutting off Electricity supply to the Niger Republic, mobilising international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.”
Additionally, Tinubu emphasized the importance of “Preventing the operation of commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic; Blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports.”
President Tinubu also informed the Senate about the country’s plan to embark on sensitization efforts targeting Nigerians and Nigeriens through social media platforms. The objective is to raise awareness of the imperative nature of these actions in the prevailing circumstances.
The collaboration and endorsement of the Senate are crucial as Nigeria seeks to address the crisis in the neighboring Niger Republic and restore stability in the region.
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