As Niger Republic joins Burkina Faso and Mali to exit the Economic Community of West African States, its military government has taken a swipe at the regional bloc and the president Bola Tinubu government for imposing sanctions against the country.
The Republic in a statement by Bintou Quattara,Head of division of regional economic communities at the ministry of foreign affairs, reminded Nigeria of the fraternal ties between the two countries and the help it rendered her during the Biafran Civil War.
The statement lamented the sanctions against the name particularly,” the cutting of electrical energy indiscriminately” and blocking pharmaceutical and food products to Niger
However,it said it has no moral lessons to learn from the present administration in terms of “democracy, governance or patriotism”,
According to the statement,“By deciding irresponsibly to illegally and unjustly sanction Niger and to undertake military intervention against our country, ECOWAS has become a threat to all the people of the Sahel and its member states,” the statement reads.
“With particular regards to Nigeria’s responsibility, the government of Niger notes with deep regret that history will record that the unfair, illegal, unjust and inhumane sanctions against Niger were taken under the leadership of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, current president of the ECOWAS conference of heads of state and government.
“Then, to the irresponsible ECOWAS sanctions, Nigeria despite our neighbourly and fraternity ties, added its own punitive sanctions, namely; cutting off the supply of electrical energy indiscriminately, blocking the supply to Niger in pharmaceutical and food products, etc.
“In any case, Niger has no moral lessons, much less democracy, governance or patriotism, to receive from the current Nigerian authorities.
“Also, Niger urges them to exercise restraint and pull themselves together so as not to endanger our age-old bonds of fraternity which fully deserves to be preserved in the best interest of our people.”
The Military government in Niger and its two neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso also led by junta In a joint statement on January 28, announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS citing among others,the imposition of sanctions on the three countries for refusing to return to democratic rule and not holding on to the ideals of the bloc’s founding fathers.
The announcement of withdrawal by the three countries received condemnation of Nigeria and ECOWAS.
The bloc said the news of the exit was shocking as there was no prior notification by the countries stating their position.
On its part,Nigeria said ECOWAS has worked to promote peace, prosperity, and democracy in the region for half a century.
