Niger: Nigerian DHQ directs service chiefs to compile war items, ECOWAS lawmakers divided
By babagana jidda kanempress
13 august 2023
Military chiefs to forward required number of men, equipment, funds to CDS
In compliance with the directives of the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, the Defence Headquarters has commenced preparations for possible mobilisation of troops and equipment to head to the Republic of Niger.
There is division within the ECOWAS Parliament over the use of military might to force the military junta, which overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, out of power and to reinstate the Nigerien President.
Reports say the Nigerian military high command had directed its service chiefs to compile and submit war requirements such as the number of personnel, equipment, logistics and financial costs to the Chief of Defence Staff.
The preliminary stage in the planning process is usually amassing human and material resources required for the planned military intervention in the republic of Niger.
A leaked memo indicated that about two battalions, the total number of troops should be at least “10 times more than that of the enemy, would be required to prosecute the war against the junta in Niger Republic.
Asides Nigeria, Senegal, Benin and Ivory Coast, other ECOWAS member states are expected to commit troops to the standby force.
ECOWAS had earlier activated its standby force for military action against the junta in Niger Republic at an extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government hosted by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
The military junta in Niger led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani had defiantly refused to yield to entreaties and diplomatic pressure to reinstate Bazoum, detained at his residence since the takeover on July 26.
Following the coup, the ECOWAS imposed sanctions to compel the military junta to reinstate the ousted president but the coup plotters ignored a one-week ultimatum to restore democracy issued by ECOWAS and also refused to meet with a delegation led by former Nigerian military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The junta similarly denied the acting United States Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, access to the coup leader and Bazoum.
Also, plans by a joint UN/AU/ECOWAS delegation to visit Niamey were aborted after the coup leaders said they were unavailable to meet with the mission.
In reaction to the planned military intervention authorised by the sub-regional body, the military junta in Niger had threatened to kill President Bazoum should the ECOWAS attempt any military operation to restore democracy there.
The ECOWAS’s resolution on Friday, said the Nigerian military authorities had begun necessary levers to give full expression to the resolutions of the West African leaders.
The Defence Headquarters would coordinate the deployment of troops and equipment for the operation.
‘’No deployment has been made for now, but the build-up is ongoing. Services are to forward requirements such as the required number of men, equipment as well as funds that would be needed to mobilise troops to Niger. The DHQ will coordinate the deployment of troops for the operation in Niger,” the source stated.
The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, assured Nigerians that the participation of Nigeria in the military operation in Niger would not affect the ongoing war against insecurity in the country.
His reaction followed concerns by security experts that military involvement in Niger might impact the ongoing operations against criminal elements across the country.
