Former Presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has averred that President Bola Tinubu made a mistake with the public announcement of military intervention in the Niger Republic.
OsunDailyNG recalls that on July 25, 2023, General Abdourahamane Tchiani-led Presidential Guard had detained and taken over power from Bazoum.
Following the coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Niger Republic while also threatening military intervention.
In a post via Twitter on Saturday, Reno said Tinubu should not have made the proposed military intervention a public affair either to the executive or legislature, except it was a deliberate action to intimidate the Junta in the Niger Republic.
He said everything must be done to avert war, and if the country should resort to war, the United Nations (UN) and the international community should pay for it.
Reno added that the military general who seized power should also be offered amnesty if he returns power to Bazoum.
He said, “The request by President Tinubu to the Senate for military intervention in Niger Republic should not have been made public. Not by the Executive or the Legislature. Making it public was a mistake. Except it was done deliberately to intimidate the junta in Niger Republic. If not, it should have been a secret memo, which the Senate should have deliberated on secretly.
“We do not pray for war, and we should do everything to avert it. It is better to strangulate the Nigerien putschists economically until they restore the democratically elected President. The General who seized power should also be offered amnesty if he returns what he stole to the rightful owner. And if he wishes, he should be free to contest as President in the next election in that country.
“But war should be a last resort. And if we must resort to war, we should have a UN mandate, and the international community should pay for the war.
“But whatever decision Nigeria takes, if war results, every Nigerian, including the Arewa Consultative Forum, and opposition parties, must close ranks and support our government. But May it never get to that. In Yeshua’s Name, we pray.”
