Posted by Following the ECOWAS deadline’s expiration on Sunday, the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) advised against taking military action in the Republic of Niger.
The call was made in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja by retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the national publicity secretary of AANI.
He declared that the group vehemently rejects the military takeover of Niger’s government and backs ECOWAS’ attempts to restore democracy in the West African nation.
But he encouraged ECOWAS to think about how its decisions will affect the people of Niger and the larger West African subregion both now and in the future.
He asserted that establishing long-term peace and security in the area depended on resolving the underlying causes of the political crisis in Niger and bolstering democratic institutions there.
As a result, AANI advises caution in favor of delaying military action.
“Instead, non-military options like diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions should be adopted towards a peaceful resolution and a quicker return to democratic governance in the Niger Republic,” he declared.
He claims that ECOWAS’s military action could worsen the security issues in the West African subregion and turn the current predicament into a humanitarian crisis.
Usman warned that choosing a military solution might ratchet up tensions in the Lake Chad region and other parts of West Africa, luring in other armed groups and outside players to exploit the situation.
“This would make the security issues worse and make the situation more complicated and hazardous.
Therefore, he stated, “it is imperative to prioritize peaceful and diplomatic solutions to the current problem.
The spokesman for AANI encouraged ECOWAS to step up diplomatic efforts to persuade the military authorities in Niger to cede control and allow the country’s democratically elected government to restore the people’s mandate.
He claimed that ECOWAS would have shown its commitment to peaceful conflict settlement and regional security by forgoing military intervention.