Today's Headlines: Niger Coup Leader Seeks Dialogue With ECOWAS, Speaker Abbas condemns Zaria killings, seeks immediate investigation
Niger Coup Leader Seeks Dialogue With ECOWAS
The leader of the Niger junta, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has said the military was ready for dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Source: Leadership
He made this known during a meeting with Islamic scholars from Nigeria. Tchiani was quoted to have said doors were open to explore diplomacy and peace in resolving the impasse. Islamic scholars led by the chairman of the Izala sect in Nigeria – Jam’atul Izalatu Bidia Waikamatu Sunnah (JIBWIS) – Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, met with the junta in Niger’s capital Niamey on Saturday.
In a statement Lau issued after the meeting, he said his delegation and the coup leader deliberated on several issues, including ECOWAS’ demand for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum. Asked if the discussion for dialogue took place, Prime Minister of Niger, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, said: “Yes, for sure. That was exactly what the leader of our country told them, he did not say he was not open to dialogue.”
Speaker Abbas condemns Zaria killings, seeks immediate investigation
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has condemned the killing of two people at the Kofar Gayan area of Zaria, Kaduna State, during an attack by suspected terrorists late Saturday.
Source: Premium Times
According to a statement signed by the speaker’s media aide, Musa Krishi, he said the suspected terrorists invaded the area, shot sporadically, killing the individuals, while they kidnapped others.
The killings, coming just over 24 hours after the death of several people during the collapse of parts of the Zaria Central Mosque, were unfortunate and abhorrent, the statement said. “Expressing disgust at the killings of the two innocent people, Speaker Abbas noted with concern the recurring attacks in parts of Zaria and environs in the past few years.
SERAP Sues Akpabio, Abass Over Plans To Spend N110bn On Exotic Cars, Others
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas over “the unlawful plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70bn as ‘palliatives’ for new members.”
Source: Leadership
The suit was filed after the statement by M.r Akpabio that the Clerk of the National Assembly had sent “holiday allowances” into the “various bank accounts of senators”. Some 137 million Nigerians face extreme poverty.
In suit number FHC/L/CS/1606/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to review and reduce the N40 billion budgeted to buy 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.”
Why juntas are taking over govts in West Africa – Shehu Sani
A former member of the Senate, Shehu Sani, has identified reasons for the increasing re-emergence of military takeover of governments in Africa, especially in the West African sub-region.
Source: Punch papers
Speaking in an interview with the Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, Sani frowned on what he considered the increasing re-emergence of juntas in the politics of especially West African countries but maintained that they keep recurring because the conditions were being created for them to return.
“We have seen in the past few years how democracies in the West African sub-region have collapsed. It has happened in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and now the Niger Republic. “Coup d’etats are internal issues and they do not happen within a day. Conditions are created for the military to take over power. And in West Africa today, there are about five conditions that I have noted to be responsible for.
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