Niger: Reconsider your stand on border closure, don’t engage military- CNG tells Tinubu

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has asked President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his stand on border closure with Niger Republic and the seizure of electricity supply to the country following the recent military coup in the country.

 

This is just as CNG stood against any form of preference for military action against Niger or any other West African or African nation by any regional or international community/institution.

 

A statement signed by the Spokesman of CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman warned against unnecessary escalation of the situation by the unsolicited intervention of the international community and other foreign interests.

 

CNG, in the statement demanded both the military authorities in Niger and the ECOWAS to open and allow all doors for discussions devoid of any hidden agenda or unnecessary preconditions for genuine dialogue.

 

“To call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to reconsider its stand on the closure of borders with Niger and the seizure of electricity supply.

 

To call on the leaders of the coup in Niger Republic to discard their rigid stance and unhelpful show of bravado and embrace all diplomatic overtures in order to reach a peaceful and bloodless resolution of the matter, keeping in mind that threats and conflicts have very little or no utility value.

 

“To condemn with all our might the burning in Niger of Nigerian national flag which is our symbol of nationhood and demand the military junta to order it to stop forthwith.

 

“To declare the discrediting of our President and leaders not only immoral and illegal, but also abhorrent to Nigeria’s collective sensibilities and ordinary decency and therefore unacceptable.

 

“To demand from the military leaders in Niger action against the continues burning of Nigerian flag and to warn that they stand to lose the ample public sympathy freely given to them by the vast majority of Nigerians”, the statement said.

 

CNG said it is imperative that the parties understand that bilateral relationships are guided by the principles of sovereignty, promotion of peace and the standards that guide legitimate interference.

 

“Hence, their intervention, exclamations and actions in the affairs of the continent should not be drawn to discountenance the effort of  African to protect its citizens and to impose law and order.

 

“It is important to call the attention of the entire international community/organisations to weigh the impact and consequence of a destabilized West African subregion which will certainly threaten the peace and security of the entire Africa”, the statement said.

 

The Coalition appealed to political, religious, traditional and cultural leaders across the West African subregion to urgently intervene by impressing the need for a window for serious negotiations to be provided.

 

 

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