Nigerian Senate Rejects Tinubu’s Request for Military Intervention in Niger Coup

The upper chamber of the Nigerian legislature, the senate chamber has rejected the request by President Bola Tinubu for permission to engage the Nigerian military in resolving the Niger crisis caused by the coup.

Recall, President Mohamed Bazoum was deposed on 26 July in a coup led by his presidential guards.

However, at an executive session on Saturday, the senators rejected the request by the president.

According to a senator who attended the meeting, senators agreed to pass a resolution condemning the coup and to commend ECOWAS leaders on their efforts to restore constitutional order in Niger, but they ruled out military options.

“Almost all the senators spoke and totally ruled out the military options because of many factors and also because of the harmonious relationship that Nigeria and Niger has always enjoyed.

“Senators instead urged President Tinubu to intensify negotiation with the coup leaders by again sending a high-powered delegation to Niamey. Someone suggested that elderstatemen like Obasanjo, Gen Ali Gusau and Abdulsalam Abubakar should be sent as special envoys to dialogue and seek a diplomatic solution.

“Senators opposed to military action pointed out that our military is highly ill-equipped and not prepared to fight any war.They said that we have fragile peace in Nigeria and that Niger is the highest arms market in Africa.”