President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Friday, told the Senate of possible plans by leaders of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to intervene militarily in Niger Republic, following a recent coup d’état and the ouster of a democratically-elected administration of Mohamed Bazoum.
In a letter read to lawmakers at the commencement of Friday’s plenary, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the letter from Tinubu.
The letter read: “Following the unfortunate political situation in Niger Republic culminating in the overthrow of its President, ECOWAS under my leadership condemned the coup in its entirety and resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected government.”
The letter tagged, “Political situation in Niger”, disclosed that “in a bid to restore peace, ECOWAS convened a meeting and came out with a communique.”
According to Tinubu, the communique also stressed the need for “cutting off electricity supply to Niger Republic; Mobilising international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique; preventing the operation of commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic.”
Other issues also raised at the meeting include, according to the letter, include “blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports; embarking on sensitization of Nigerians and Nigerians on the imperative of these actions particularly via social media; and military build up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant.”
Soon after the letter was read, a former deputy Senate majority leader, Abdul Ningi, raised a constitutional point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to the provisions of the Senate on how the Armed Forces could be deployed on a combat duty outside Nigeria.
He said his point of order was aimed at guiding the Senate on the matter.
Ningi read section 5(5) of the Constitution which states that
“Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, the President, in consultation with the National Defence Council, may deploy members of the armed forces of the Federation on a limited combat duty outside Nigeria if he is satisfied that the national security is under imminent threat or danger provided that the President shall, within seven days of actual combat engagement, seek the consent of the Senate and the Senate shall thereafter give or refuse the said consent within 14 days.”