According to Punch papers, Captain Aliyu Babangida (retd.), a former military intelligence officer and CEO of Goldwater Consults, has expressed concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the aftermath of the coup in Niger. Captain Babangida believes that intervening militarily, through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), might lead to a misadventure. He points out that the conflict in Niger is essentially a francophone family quarrel, and sending Anglophone troops might not be a wise move.
He suggests that President Tinubu should use his age and wisdom to find a diplomatic solution and consider forming a multinational joint coalition force to assist Niger instead of sending Nigerian troops. Captain Babangida emphasizes the challenges of operating in a francophone country with porous and unmarked borders, where the local population might not be receptive to foreign troops.
Regarding the ultimatum given to the coup plotters, he believes that it puts President Tinubu in a difficult position. If he doesn’t take military action after the deadline, it could damage Nigeria’s stature, and if he does, it might lead to a detrimental outcome for Nigerian troops.
Captain Babangida also raises concerns about the support some countries are showing for the junta in Niger. He highlights Algeria’s military capabilities and Iran’s potential motivations for backing the coup plotters.
The former military intelligence officer attributes recurrent military takeovers in West Africa to exclusive governance by politicians, and he questions the wisdom of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in Nigeria, which he considers divisive.
Finally, Captain Babangida cautiously evaluates President Tinubu’s nomination of ministers, acknowledging that soldiers don’t have a monopoly on solutions to security challenges and urging patience to see how the situation unfolds.
Fastlane (
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