Condition in Niger does not support military intervention – ECOWAS policy analyst

ECOWAS policy analyst, E.L Bensah Jnr has stated that the conditions in Niger do not support military intervention in restoring constitutional rule in the country.

The ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff have vowed to use all means available to the bloc to restore constitutional order in Niger.

The ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defense Staff are in Ghana for a 2-days extraordinary meeting on the deployment of ECOWAS stand-by force in the Republic of Niger.

Addressing the high-ranking officers, the Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security of ECOWAS, Ambassador Abdul Musah, explained that although the bloc is still giving diplomatic engagement with the military rulers in Niger a chance, any further defiance from the junta, will trigger a response in protecting the rules of the regional bloc with its contingency.

Speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Thursday, the ECOWAS policy analyst however cautioned against such a move the ECOWAS Defence Committee.

According to him, if the military intervention should be carried out Niger it will mean that ECOWAS member countries will be fighting among themselves since the junta in Niger has aliens.

“The condition on the ground for such an intervention has not been favorable over these past weeks. In all the analysis we have been doing and observations we have been making. Here are people and military junta in power supported by the people on the ground.

“Even if not everybody in the country, they have a majority or some level of followership on the streets and all that. What are their sentiments, anti-colonialism, anti-imperialism kinds of notion are the things they write on the placards,” Bensah Jnr stated.

He continued: “So that simply tells us that while, coups are not justifiable and should not be encouraged. We should also be doing something to ensure that there are things that lead to it. When we don’t do it, we wouldn’t get to where we are currently.”

The ECOWAS policy analyst further stated that ECOWAS Defence Committee will not get it easy with any military intervention and civilians will suffer if such a move should be carried out.