Niger Coup: Nigeria Shouldn’t Be the Vigilante of Imperialism in West Africa — Sen. Shehu Sani
Senator Shehu Sani has said Nigeria should not become the vigilante in the West African subregion for foreign imperial powers. The former lawmaker, who started this in a Twitter post, was reacting to Nigeria’s role in the attempt by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to resolve the current political impasse in the Niger Republic arising from the coup d’état in that country.
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the current Chairman of ECOWAS, is supervising the imposition of ECOWAS-approved sanctions on Niger in a bid to force out the military junta that seized power from the civilian government in that country.
One such sanction is the cutting off of the electricity supply to the country. But Sen. Sani thinks that the action is wrong and ill-advised. He insists that the crisis in Niger presents an opportunity for West Africa to break the shackles of neocolonialism and become a new independent subregion.
He wrote:
“President Tinubu should not weaponize electricity supply to the Niger Republic. Nigeria shouldn’t be the vigilante of imperialism in West Africa. The President should be careful not to be the new apprentice of French neo-colonialism in our subregion. This is a moment we should seize for a new independent West Africa; beginning with killing the CFA, Cedi, and Naira and adopting a common West African currency.
Understandably, the tweet divided opinions among Nigerians who reacted to it.
Read some selected reactions here:
What’s your take on the issue?
Ifyafrica (
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