Northern Groups Reiterate Rejection Of Military Option In Niger

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has  rejected any form of military action against Niger Republic or any other West African or African nation by any regional or international community or institution in order to restore democracy.

The CNG in a set of demands to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following the expiration of the seven days ultimatum issued to the Niger Republic military junta to restore democracy urged both the military authorities in Niger and ECOWAS to open and allow all doors for discussions devoid of any hidden agenda or unnecessary preconditions for genuine dialogue.

The statement signed by the group’s spokesman Abdulazeez Suleiman and made available to LEADERSHIP Weekend in Abuja yesterday called on leaders of the coup in Niger Republic to discard their rigid stance and show of bravado and embrace all diplomatic overtures in order to reach a peaceful and bloodless resolution of the matter, keeping in mind that threats and conflicts have very little or no utility  value.

The CNG said it condemned with all its might the burning in Niger of the Nigerian national flag which is a symbol of nationhood and demanded the military junta to order a stop forthwith.

It said; “The discrediting of our president and leaders is not only immoral and illegal, but also abhorrent to Nigeria’s collective sensibilities and ordinary decency and therefore unacceptable.”

It also warned the junta that they stand to lose the public sympathy from the vast majority of Nigerians.

The CNG called on the Nigerian government to reconsider its stand on the closure of borders with Niger and the seizure of electricity supply and warned against unnecessary escalation of the situation by the unsolicited intervention of the international community and other dubious foreign interests.

It said it was imperative that they understand that bilateral relationships are guided by the principles of sovereignty, promotion of peace and the standards that guide legitimate interference.

“Hence, their intervention, exclamations and actions in the affairs of the continent should not be drawn to discountenance the effort of  Africa to protect its citizens and to impose law and order.

“It is important to call the attention of  the entire international community/organisations to weigh the impact and consequence of a destabilised West African subregion which will certainly threaten the peace and security of the entire Africa,” it said.

The CNG also noted that any breakdown of law and order would not only compound the security and humanitarian situations in the region, especially in Mali, Libya among others, but further worsen the security situation on the continent, disrupt international cohesion, compound the despondent cases of human trafficking, migration and other challenges the continent and the world are now facing.

The CNG appealed to political, religious, traditional and cultural leaders across the West African subregion to urgently intervene by impressing the need for a window for serious negotiations to be provided, adding that these leaders should identify a neutral location within Africa at which to hold such honest discussions to finally bring a bloodless enduring end to the impasse.