Niger Coup D’Etat: Security Experts Speak Out On ECOWAS’ Proposed Standby Force And Good Governance

Security experts have said that military solution will not deter coup d’etat but good governance will.

Stakeholders stated this following the call by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of a standby force against coup d’etat in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) subregions.

Col. Hassan Stan-Labo (rtd) said “Nothing can mitigate coup d’etat like good governance. When a government is conscious of its social contract with the people, which encompasses provision of security and welfare requirements, coups would hardly succeed because the people will take ownership of government.”

He, however, noted that the proposal of an ECOWAS Standby Force in mitigation of the coup d’etat in the subregion of West Africa was nobel as a peace stabilisation initiative and development enabler.

“One is quick to ask what went wrong with the hitherto ECOMOG platform that was well purposed and positioned to take on such initiative?

“All it required would have been an amendment of its mandate and objective to accommodate fresh challenges,” he said.

Another military veteran, Major Daniel Banjo (rtd), said though the region needs its own command, Nigeria must not take ownership of such force in terms of financial sponsorship.

“We need the ECOWAS command there is no doubt about that. I hope it is not going to spend all the money gathered there. We nearly had it in the past, it was part of ECOMOG . It is already on ground. It doesn’t have to be a Nigerian thing,” he said

Similarly, Brig Gen Sani Usman (Rtd) said ECOWAS leaders should rather lay emphasis on good governance than the establishment of a standby force, even though it’s a welcome development.

“The bottom line is that if anybody is thinking about that then they should improve on good governance. If you look at all the circumstances that brought about the change of government through forceful means, it is bad governance.

“So, beyond the standby force, I think there should be emphasis on good governance. There is no better reserve than good governance. There is no way a country experiences stability, peace and security when you have these kinds of change of government. The solution is good governance. They should talk to themselves. There is no better security than good governance,” he commented.

The secretary general, International Institute of professional Security (IIPS) Dr. Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, said it was a step in the right direction to tame international crime in the subregion.

“We need the ECOWAS standby force. It is a welcome development. Each member state will contribute its forces to ensure these issues of terrorism and kidnapping comes to an end, because it is an international crime.

“Remember in the era of IBB, the former head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) when we had ECOMOG? It is the same structure that will be put in place to ensure that things are done appropriately. And they will be contributing jointly to fund it,” he said.