Former Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, has reacted to the claims by many Nigeriens that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is waging war against them.
OsunDailyNG reports that this comes after Oyo State Lawmaker, Akin Akinwale, shared PUNCH’s recent interview with a Nigerian, identified as Umar Abubakar.
According to Abubakar, who escaped from the Niger Republic, many citizens of the country are angry and believe the Nigerian government is waging war against them.
Akinwale, while reacting to Abubakar’s revelation in the interview, said there is a need for serious sensitization and awareness among the average citizens of the country.
He wrote: “A Nigerian, Umar Abubakar, who escaped from Niger, says to a layman in the Niger Republic now, Nigeria is waging war against them and that they don’t know what ECOWAS is about.
“He also said that the ordinary citizens in the Niger Republic need serious sensitisation to understand what ECOWAS is doing is for their sake.
“This is a clarion call on ECOWAS to intensify efforts in raising awareness among the average citizens of Niger Republic”
Also reacting, Bashir, in a post shared on Twitter, said the Nigeriens’ misconception of President Tinubu’s plan to restore democracy to the state alongside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a wrong signal.
He noted that some of the recent efforts and interventions are showing positive results and hopes that things will be better in the upcoming days and weeks.
He tweeted, “To be honest, that is a wrong signal. Thank God the recent efforts and interventions are showing positive results. I’m hopeful that in the upcoming days or weeks, Nigeria and ECOWAS will find amicable solutions to the situation in Niger Republic.”
Recalls that last week, the President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, had said the regional bloc had ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger Republic.
Touray stated that the regional bloc maintained a stand against the military government in Niger and directed immediate enforcement and monitoring of sanctions on the military junta.
He added that ECOWAS underscores its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.
