Niger: Don't Pull Nigeria into a Proxy War Between Russia and NATO -Prof. Usman Yusuf Warns Tinubu

According to THE SUN, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, has advised President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to exercise diplomacy in handling the crisis in Niger Republic. The Tinubu-led Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has raised the prospect of military intervention in the neighboring country following the takeover by a junta. However, Yusuf emphasized that Nigeria should avoid going to war with Niger.

Yusuf noted that ECOWAS’s swift resort to the threat of war was premature. He suggested that President Tinubu should have employed diplomatic backchannels to address the situation, akin to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s approach when former Nigerien President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara was assassinated in a coup back in 2000.

Yusuf praised current initiatives, including those led by Islamic clerics, to engage in dialogue, highlighting the presence of a window of opportunity for peaceful negotiations. He criticized ECOWAS for opting for threats before initiating negotiations. According to Yusuf, negotiations should not commence with ultimatums. He pointed out that the actions of the Tinubu administration reflect its inexperience in foreign policy.

Enumerating the detrimental consequences of a war with Niger, Yusuf emphasized that Nigerians share deep ties with the people of Niger, including shared ethnic groups such as the Zaburumas, Hausas, Kanuris, and Fulanis. He stated that 53 percent of Nigeriens are Hausas, and several northern Nigerian states share borders with Niger. The artificial border division, he added, does not negate the longstanding cordial relationship between the two nations.

Yusuf criticized sanctions against Niger, particularly the disconnection of power supply. He clarified that an agreement with Niger allows for uninterrupted power supply and that Niger does not obstruct the flow of the Niger River upstream.

Yusuf cautioned against the motivations of countries advocating for war, suggesting that during the civil war, nations like Gabon and Cote d’Ivoire, the latter now pushing for intervention in Niger, were against Nigeria. He also highlighted France’s historical opposition to Nigeria.

In a final warning against succumbing to war pressures, Yusuf emphasized the need for caution, particularly to prevent Nigeria from being pulled into a proxy conflict between Russia and NATO. He emphasized that such a scenario would bring dire consequences.

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