Nigeria Demands Release of Bazoum, Return to Status Quo

*Liberian army chief calls for scrapping of presidential guards to stop coup

Michael Olugbode in Monrovia

The Federal Government of Nigeria, yesterday, again condemned the coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger, which ousted the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, demanding his release and return to status quo.
This was as the Chief of Staff to the Liberian Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Charles Johnson III, has advocated the scrapping of the presidential guards as a way of stemming the tide of military coup in the sub-region.

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,  Francisca Omayuli, the federal government said, “This unconstitutional change of government is unacceptable in a time, where concerted efforts are being made to stabilise the sub-region and uphold the principles of democracy and good governance.

“In line with the pronouncement of the Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Nigeria calls for the immediate and unconditional release of President Mohamed Bazoum, his family members and other civilians being detained, and reversion to status quo ante.
“Nigeria welcomes and appreciates the support of the larger international community in urging the military authorities in Niger to respect the will of the people and return the country to constitutional order immediately.”

However, Johnson III explained that, military interregnum in West Africa was a direct consequence of politicians meddling in affairs of the military and security agencies, thereby throwing organisational discipline out of the door on the altar of political patronage.

Fielding questions from  journalists on the rising military coup in West Africa, yesterday, at the sidelines of the joint delocalised meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committees on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and the African Peer Review Mechanism, Judicial Affairs and Human rights, Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment in Monrovia, he said the military has strong structure that most politicians come in to destabilise and cause disaffection that often resulted in the indiscipline that snowballed into coup d’etat.
He said one of the ways to put an end to military interregnum  in West Africa is by abolishing the Presidential Guards, which has become a monster in some countries as they are not placed under the control of military command.

Johnson III said it was wrong to give power to the President Guards or any military for that outside the country of the military command, insisting that every soldier should be made to take instruction from the Chief of Defence Staff and not directly from the commander-in-chief.
The military commander, who was reacting to the recent coup in Niger Republic and growing military seizure of power in parts of West Africa, said ECOWAS member states must be mindful of how much control the military has, and if not abolished, the Presidential Guards of the Commander in Chief must not be allowed to wield so much power.

Johnson III, who had addressed members of the ECOWAS Parliament on the topic: “The Role of the Armed and Security Forces in Political Government: The Cases of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, Lessons to be Learned and Prospects,” said, “My second recommendation was the issue of Presidential guard or elite forces that have direct control on the commander-in-chief.

“So, if you look at what is happening even in Niger yesterday (Wednesday), it is the presidential guards. And look at our history in Liberia, we have seen the issue of presidential guards being misused. The Peace and Reconciliation report of 2008 that says that, the Special Anti-Terrorism Unit was involved in a lot of alleged atrocities according to the report. That is why I emphasised that we need to be mindful and allow the military to have this control.
“When you have this political interference into the command and control of the military, like having a Presidential Guards, the Commander-in-Chief selecting somebody to head it instead of allowing the CDS, Chief of Defense Staff to go through that process or having somebody to control, then it becomes a problem.
“Because the CDS or the Chief of Staff have no control over the unit because he takes direct control from the Commander-in-Chief.”

According to him, “There is no justification for any military coup no matter the situation, advising members of ECOWAS Parliament to advise their governments against interfering with military deployments.

“Most of them are Parliamentarians, most of them are close to the power or they will soon be close, and these are some of the advice they need to give their respective leaders, that do not get involved in the military.

“No justification for all the military coups that have been happening, absolutely not. We Military are yet to protect society not to be on to defend ourselves so indeed it is totally wrong.”