Photo: Fighter Jets
War looms as Mali, B/Faso deploy fighter-jets in Niger to support junta
There is palpable fear over the prospect of a breakout of war in the Republic of Niger as the country’s neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, who are also under military rule, have deployed war planes in the country following the threat of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) to invade Niger to dislodge the military junta that seized power there recently.
Periscope International reports that ECOWAS defence chiefs recently agreed on a tentative date for potential military intervention in Niger should diplomatic negotiations fail.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, had announced the prospect of a potential “D-Day” following a two-day summit in Ghana.
However, according to local media reports in Niger, their two neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali have declared support for them warned that any military intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.
A local television report for instance said the military leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger convened Friday in Niamey to decide on “concrete measures” in case ECOWAS chooses to “escalate a war.”
Meanwhile, former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, while reacting to the development on Sunday, described the situation as sheer madness, which is capable of culminating in civil war.
Fani-Kayode explained that there were more Nigeriens living in Nigeria than in their country and going to war would end up being a civil war because millions of Nigerians are on both sides of the border, adding that the military should consider the implications on Nigerians before going to the battlefield.
“Burkina Faso and Mali have deployed fighter jets to Niger to assist them in the event of an invasion. Russian Wagner forces have been deployed to Niamey to assist the junta in the event of an attack. ECOWAS commanders say the D-Day for an attack “has been set.”
“This is MADNESS! Worse still there are more Nigereins living in Nigeria than there are in Niger! Going to war with Niger will end up being more like a civil war because millions of our people have families on both sides of the border. Please ponder on that before the first shot is fired and we send our boys to the killing fields,” Fani-Kayode warned.
