Shehu Sani Reacts As ECOWAS Imposes Stiff Sanctions On Niger Republic

Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has faulted ECOWAS for the resolutions on the military coup in Niger Republic and for the stiff sanctions imposed on the West African nation.

Naija News earlier reported that ECOWAS, at an extraordinary session in Abuja on Sunday, ordered the release of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum from detention and imposed some stiff sanctions on Niger following the coup organised by military leaders in the West African country.

Some of the resolutions include the closure of Land and Air borders between ECOWAS and Niger, the imposition of the no-flight zone to all commercial flights to and fro Niger and the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger.

Other resolutions include the freezing of all service transactions including energy transactions, the freezing of assets of Niger in all ECOWAS Central banks and the seizure of the country’s state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.

ECOWAS also suspended Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions and imposed travel bans on the military officials and their families involved in the coup attempt including anyone who accepts to take a position in the military government.

Reacting to the development in a Twitter post on Sunday, Sani said ECOWAS planning to use military force to dislodge coup plotters in Niger will be a difficult thing.

The former lawmaker advised ECOWAS and its leaders to be careful not to be pushed by Western countries.

He wrote: “Using Military force to dislodge a Military Government in a country larger than the Size of Nigeria is not going to be a Tea party.

“ECOWAS should be careful not to be pushed and left alone in the Sahara Desert.The West interest is Ukraine not Niger Republic.”