Deconstructing the Niger Republic Calamity

RingTrue  By  Yemi Adebowale

Phone    08054699539

Email: yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

Mohamed Bazoum deposed 18 days ago as President of Niger Republic by soldiers from the Presidential Guard, was exposed from day one when he assumed office in 2021. His ouster on July 26 was an accident waiting to happen. Bazoum, from the Arab minority Ouled Slimane people, is the first Arab president of Niger in the country’s 64 years history as an independent country. Arabs constitute just 0.4 % of the Nigerien population, a small minority within Niger Republic. Ouled Slimane Arabs are originally from the Fezzan region of Libya.

Surprisingly, Mahamadou Issoufou, who led the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism from its foundation in 1990 until his election as president in 2011, anointed minority Bazoum for President in 2021. Issoufou left office in April 2021 by respecting the constitution limiting him to two terms thus leading to the first ever democratic transition of power in Niger to Bazoum, who assumed office in April 2021.

There was a botched coup d’état, just two days before Bazoum assumed office. It was led by soldiers uncomfortable with a President seen as a “foreigner” and coming from a tiny minority. The coup was quashed by General Abdourahamane Tchiani. Yes, the same General Tchiani named the new leader of the country by the junta that removed Bazoum on July 26.

Tchiani was appointed Commander of the Presidential Guard in 2011 by Issoufou. In a vote of confidence, Bazoum kept Tchiani in his strategic post when he became president. That was the biggest mistake by Bazoum. Tchiani has always had his eye on the Nigerien presidency. Bazoum simply kept a hawk in his bedroom. He only realised his folly early in July this year and was planning to reorganise the presidential guards with Tchiani listed for removal. Tchiani saw it coming and did not allow it to happen. Before Bazoum could make the move, Tchiani was faster. He toppled him, thus truncating the constitutional political leadership in the West African country. On July 28, Tchiani announced himself, on live television, as the leader of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland. This was what Tchiani wanted all along. Forget about his story that Bazoum was removed because of growing insecurity and bad governance.

The leaders of ECOWAS are right to demand for the immediate return of constitutional democracy in Niger, to tame the spread of military government in the region. Before Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea had their democratic government derailed by the military. Now, four of the 15 countries in the block are under military rule. ECOWAS leaders are right to demand for the withdrawal of Tchiani and the return of Bazoum as President. This is the global standard.

The era of security men turning their guns against citizens and taking over government from political leaders by force must end in Africa. Power flowing from the barrel of the gun is an aberration in modern societies and Africa can’t be an exception. Power must flow from the people. Security men who turn their guns (bought for them by the people) on elected leaders of the people must be challenged by all good people. Tchiani and his boys are simply a gang of criminals that must be dealt with.

For me, there is also nothing wrong with approved military intervention in Niger by ECOWAS leaders. This is the main language evil people like Tchiani and his boys understand. So, ECOWAS exploring all measures necessary to restore democratic governance in Niger, including the use of force, is apropos. Nothing should be too much for the defence of democracy. ECOWAS, led by Nigeria, has the capacity to take out the criminal military government in Niger. However, my fear is that they may end up being dragged into a long war because they may need to remain in Niger to protect Bazoum. Of course, there may be terror attacks from Tchiani and his boys after ejecting them because they won’t give up easily. Another big challenge is that Nigeria, with its current economic problems, will have to pick the bulk of the bill for such an operation as was the case in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Well, ECOWAS has already ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger Republic after its Extraordinary Summit in Abuja on Thursday. This is the way to go. I’m happy that the United States of America has warned the Niger junta that it may be pushed into taking military action if Tchiani did not return the country to constitutional order.

The US Acting Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, adds: “There is still a lot of motion here on many sides with regard to where the governance situation will go. So, we will be watching that closely and there are a number of regional meetings coming up and consultations with allies and partners that we need to make. We’ll be watching the situation, but we understand our legal responsibilities and I explained those very clearly to the guys (junta) who were responsible for this and that it is not our desire to go there, but they may push us to that point. We asked them to be prudent in that regard and to hear our offer to try to work with them to solve this diplomatically and return to constitutional order.”

The US must team up with ECOWAS forces. It has the capacity and resources to help the planned military intervention in Niger. The US already has 1200 soldiers on ground in Niamey.

While the military intervention is being perfected, to ensure the return of the democratically elected government in Niger, the agreed political and economic sanctions against Tchiani’s Military government should be passionately implemented. The testicles of Tchiani must be crushed with sanctions. Nigeria has a big role to play in this regard because of its economic relationship with Niger. Already, Nigeria has closed all land borders and cut off electricity supply to Niger Republic. Goods in transit to Niger, especially from Lagos and Eastern sea ports have been stopped. The CBN has been directed to freeze assets of the government of Niger and its enterprises/parastatals in banks. Operation of commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic have been stopped. These are all principled steps. ECOWAS must now mobilise its members and the rest of the world to implement similar sanctions against Niger.

Dialogue and diplomacy with Tchiani can never work. Those arguing for negotiation with him are just being immature. The refusal of Tchiani to meet the General Abdulsalami Abubakar team that went to present ECOWAS’ demands is a validation that Tchiani is not interested in dialogue. Abdulsalami’s team arrived in Niamey, with the aim of establishing a dialogue with the head of the junta for the return to constitutional order. At the end of the day, they were only able to meet with Colonel Amadou Abdramane, spokesman of the junta. On the same day, the junta threatened that “any aggression or attempted aggression against the State of Niger will see an immediate and unannounced response from the Niger Defence and Security Forces.”

Those who steal power only give it up when they are put in a very tight corner. Tchiani has always been desperate for power and won’t give up easily. Tough sanction can cripple his military government, particularly from Nigeria. Military intervention will get him out instantly and send a message to soldiers across Africa that coups will no longer be tolerated in the continent.

Years of military rule have left this landlocked country in tatters. Col. Seyni Kountché started the madness in 1974 when he removed late President Hamani Diori. Kountché died in office in November 1987. Civilian Presidents have not done better in Niger. Notwithstanding, democracy remains the way forward. Niger is really in a big mess. It covers a massive land area of 490,000 square miles, yet, it is struggling to positively utilise its land resources. Late Muammar Ghadaffi of Libya proved that the desert can be turned into arable land. According to Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report of 2023, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is concentrated around subsistence agriculture, with some export agriculture in the less arid south, and export of raw materials, including uranium ore. This country is poverty-stricken largely due to endless failed governments and jihadist insurgencies.

On the supply of electricity by Nigeria, honestly, the agreement preventing Niger from erecting a dam on the path of River Niger should be shredded by both countries. Niger should be free to build electricity plans on that river if it so desires. In any case, Nigeria now generates the bulk of its electricity from gas plants.

Restoring democratic rule in Niger is a task that must be done. Forces of good must support moves against Tchiani and his band of terrorists. This is the time for the rest of the world to support ECOWAS’s battle for democracy in the region.

Abubakar Malami and the ICPC Probe 

It is heartwarming. I’m talking about the positive response of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to the clamour for the investigation of sleaze and abuse of office allegations against the former Attorney-General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. No doubt, he is one of the Buhari boys that for eight years milked our commonwealth with so much impunity. Malami lived very big while the milking lasted. He also enjoyed acquiring wives, one of which was President Buhari’s daughter.

“Necessary action is being taken on the matter” was the reassuring memo dated July 19, 2023, signed by the Petition Registrar, ICPC, H.S. Folaranmi, on behalf of the agency’s Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye. It was in response to a petition filed by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) accusing Malami of sleaze and high-handedness.

HEDA in the petition, signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, on July 10, said, Malami, on May 2, 2022, “as widely reported by various news outlets, distributed 30 car gifts worth over N1 billion to his supporters in Kebbi State. The car gifts included 14 Mercedes Benz, eight Prado SUVs, four Toyota Hilux and four Lexus LX.”

HEDA continued: “Two, illegal auctioning of sea vessels (approved by Malami) holding crude oil seized by the federal government, violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004 and assuming the role conferred on the EFCC.”

HEDA also drew attention to “alleged duplicity of payment of $16.9 million fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to late General Sani Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, hired and fully paid by the previous government, to help in the recovery had completed his brief.”

These are just a few of the sleaze allegations against Malami. The ICPC should dig deeper. Corruption allegations against Malami pour. The only way to reduce corruption is to ensure that culprits are duly punished.