President Bola Tinubu has been advised to refrain from employing force in the Niger Republic against the military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum last week and was led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani.
Justice Osai Ahiakwo said the threat by Tinubu to use military force to restore normalcy is inappropriate and will increase the socioeconomic loads on the nation in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Sunday morning.
Even the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has increased its pressure on Tinubu to refrain from invading Niger.
Tinubu’s position was characterised by Ahiakwo as rigid, and he was counselled to pay attention to the voices of reason that have urged for the use of diplomacy.
Ahiakwo argued that Nigeria had nothing to gain from invading Niger and reminded President Tinubu of the horrific suffering and deaths of Nigerian soldiers and civilians who would be sent.
Several economic measures on the coup plotters, he continued, “would also not foster harmonic and amicable conclusion as the current standoff will occasion significant hardship on the majority of the nation’s populace.
“President Tinubu must exercise extreme caution to avoid further dividing the area, which is watching the civil war between Russia and Ukraine.
“I am confident that reason will win out because those pushing for Nigeria to take the lead in the fight against the coup plotters in the Niger Republic, like President Tinubu, haven’t accepted the possibility that doing so could spark a global conflict.
“Even so, Niger Republic is required to respect and abide by the regional treaty of promoting democratic protocols,” reads the statement.
Justice Ahiakwo encouraged the president to employ diplomatic tactics instead of using force to get better results.
He asked Tinubu to promote ECOWAS unity and maintain peaceful cohabitation among the member countries.
The eminent lawyer claimed that Tinubu’s threat to employ ECOWAS force against a member state has already split the organization’s body into two sides.
Sulaimann (
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