Senators rejected President Bola Tinubu’s plea for authorization to send Nigerian troops to the Niger Republic as part of an ECOWAS deployment to restore the nation’s democratically elected president.
On July 26, a coup organised by Mohamed Bazoum’s presidential guards resulted in his removal as president.
Four days later, in Abuja, the leaders of ECOWAS handed the coup leaders a seven-day deadline to restore constitutional order or risk the use of force. The regional organisation slapped sanctions on the coup leaders, and Nigeria cut off energy and closed its borders to the impoverished West African country.
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West African defence authorities claimed they had created a strategy for military action after the coup leaders refused to reverse course.
However, at an executive session on Saturday, the senators rejected the request by the president.
According to a senator who attended the meeting speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, the lawmakers agreed to pass a resolution condemning the coup and to commend ECOWAS leaders on their efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger, but they ruled out military options.
“Almost all the senators spoke and totally ruled out the military options because of many factors and also because of the harmonious relationship that Nigeria and Niger has always enjoyed.
“Senators instead urged President Tinubu to intensify negotiation with the coup leaders by again sending a high-powered delegation to Niamey. Someone suggested that elderstatemen like Obasanjo, Gen Ali Gusau and Abdulsalam Abubakar should be sent as special envoys to dialogue and seek a diplomatic solution.
“Senators opposed to military action pointed out that our military is highly ill-equipped and not prepared to fight any war.They said that we have fragile peace in Nigeria and that Niger is the highest arms market in Africa.
“Senators believe that the Federal Government should focus on solving the Boko Haram, banditry and ESN/IPOB menaces ravaging the country instead of contemplating going to war in a foreign country,” the lawmaker said.
