We Weren't Sure Of The Kind Of Reception We Would Get Because We Were Wearing Turbans – Ahmad
According to Vanguard, Ansar-ud-Deen Society national missionary Abdurrahman Ahmad led a delegation of Nigerian Muslim scholars to meet with Nigeria’s junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, as part of efforts to peacefully restore ousted president Mohamed Bazoumi.
The Economic Organization of West African States (ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, has threatened to remove the junta by military force if diplomatic options fail. As part of diplomatic elections, Tinubu gathered a group of prominent Nigerians led by former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar to meet and negotiate with the leaders of the Niamey coup, but the coup leaders did not meet with them afterwards. They reached the country.
In an interview with a television station last week, Ahmad spoke about his team’s trip to Niger, the meeting with the head of the junta, and the results.
According to him, the Niger coup plotters refused to meet Abdulsalam’s team because they felt shortchanged after Nigeria cut off electricity in Niger without listening to them. “He (Tchiani) said that they reacted as they do in the heat of anger and apologized several times,” Ahmad said.
He also warned that it is not in Nigeria’s interest to go to war against Niger at this time because it is like declaring war on itself.
The missionary added, “This is an opportunity to strengthen the rebellion so that the bandits have free reign and strengthen their cross-border attacks.” Excerpts from the interview:
What were your observations?
For some of us, this was not new at all, as we also participated in a similar shuttle to Ivory Coast, when two people—Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara—claimed the winner after their appeal was blocked. It was a very terrible situation. However, this was different because it was an interfaith delegation. We were with Christians, especially Christian bishops in Africa.
The only difference was that this delegation consisted only of Muslim scholars who would meet the soldiers. We also met soldiers in Ivory Coast, but they were friendly. I have to admit that we were not sure what kind of reception we would get because the previous delegation was not well received. It was a powerful delegation from a former head of state, and we were just ordinary people wearing turbans.
Kindly share your thoughts and opinions concerning this news
Micheal10 (
)
