Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has asked leaders of the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to dialogue with the
military junta in the Niger Republic.
On Tuesday, the leadership of the regional body resolved to
impose financial sanctions on the individuals and entities believed to be
supporting the military junta in the Francophone country.
On Thursday, the ECOWAS leaders directed the deployment of
standby military troops to restore constitutional order in the Niger Republic.
Reacting to the development in a statement on Friday,
Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the masses in the landlocked
country are suffering from a lack of power supply while the military junta has
switched to generators after the country was cut off by Nigeria.
The human rights lawyer said sanctions should be limited to
the members of the Nigerien military junta, noting that the masses who were not
part of the coup d’etat are the ones bearing the brunt.
He added that ECOWAS leaders should reject “the dangerous
invitation of France and her allies to fight a proxy war in the Niger
Republic”.
“In addition, economic sanctions were imposed on the Niger
Republic. In implementing the economic sanctions, the Bola Tinubu
administration has cut electricity supply to the Niger Republic with dire
consequences for the civilian population,” the statement reads.
“In other words, the
masses have been thrown into darkness even though they were not involved in the
planning and execution of the coup d’etat which sacked the democratically
elected government.
“In justifying the disruption of electricity supply by the
federal government, the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission said that
Niger Republic currently owes Nigeria N4.22billion ($5.48m: $/N769.27 exchange
rate) for power supply.
“Since Nigeria supplies about 70 percent of the electricity
of Niger Republic on the basis of a valid agreement, the masses of that country
are bearing the brunt of the policy while the members of the military junta and
the political class have since switched to generators.
“Having decided to step back from immediate military action
against the Niger Republic due to popular opposition in all the member states
of the ECOWAS, the leaders should promote dialogue with the military junta.
“This is in
consonance with the resolution of the members of the ECOWAS security committee
constituted by the defence chiefs of the member states.
“Therefore, the ECOWAS leaders should reject the dangerous
invitation of France and her allies to fight a proxy war in the Niger
Republic.”
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