The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a social cultural group of Northern Nigeria, has advised the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against the use of force to remove the military government in the Republic of Niger.
The new regime ousted President Mohamed Bazoum of the country on Wednesday July 26, 2023 with a sounded warning of noninterference from any foreign country.
The ACF’s advice, contained in a statement by the Secretary General of the ACF, Murtala Aliyu, went into the public Thursday evening.
The Forum, however, condemned the coup and called for the restoration of democratic governance in Niger.
“The forum supports the position to restore democratic rule in Niger.
“The ECOWAS should tow the path of dialogue and diplomacy and certainly not force in resolving the current impasse in Niger in the interest of peaceful coexistence with the brotherly neighbour and stability of the ECOWAS region.
“Nigeria and Niger share a long historical border of more than one thousand five hundred kilometres with families, communities sharing common facilities including farmlands, markets, cultural bonds and languages for many centuries predating the Trans Saharan Trade and colonial times,” it said in the statement.
The ACF noted that the measures being contemplated by the ECOWAS should take into consideration the historical antecedents and mutual interests of the two countries while weighing the consequences of the use of force.
“While the ACF, recognises the ECOWAS’ position to bring pressure to bear on the coupists but nevertheless the military option shouldn’t be a prerequisite for Nigeria’s and the community’s continuing efforts to enthrone democracy in the region in the 21st century.
“The ECOWAS is a shining example of a functional Regional Economic Cooperation (REC) on the Continent which should be sustained.
“While a military intervention might yield temporary solutions, the repercussions on Nigeria as a leader and the regional body would impact negatively on future relations and a herculean task to rebuild,” the ACF further posited.
