Niger Coup: Putin Thought The Russia-Ukraine War Would Be A 1-Week Issue, But Look At It Now — Bode George

GLatestAugust 8, 2023

1 minute read

Bode George

A former deputy chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Bode George, has recently urged President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to have a rethink before engaging in a war with Niger. He alleged that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, thought the Russia-Ukraine war would have lasted for just one week, but it’s still ongoing.

It will be recalled that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who happens to be the chairman of ECOWAS, has called for military action against the coup plotters in Niger.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Arise , when I was teaching at the National War College, I said that before you consider going to war, consider the national interest of the country; anything that falls out of that is not a major concern to you. But if anyone infringes on your national interest, then you can go to war.

And learning from the ECOMOG experience, how can we now go to Niger again? What do we have as a benefit from fighting against Niger? My appeal is that the ECOWAS Heads of States should be more careful before taking their action. Today, look at the Ukraine versus Russia war. Putin thought it would be a one-week issue and everything would be over, but it’s been over a year now, they are still fighting, and innocent people are dying. War is not a tea party, and it is better to judge war than fight it. I’m talking from Experience.”