Respected Ghanaian journalist and managing editor at the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt has kicked against plans by the Economic Community of West African States( ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Ahmed Tinubu, to deploy West African soldiers into Niger to fight to reinstate deposed President Mohammed Bazuom.
He wondered why the leaders of these countries have allowed terrorists like Boko Haram to wreak havoc in Nigeria, and insurgents to attack several of their countries without a coordinated deployment of troops but have only chosen to endanger the lives of soldiers so as to restore an overthrown President back to power.
He wondered whether the West African leaders are making such out of soundness of mind given the problems that plague the community and have they have failed to tackle them head-on.
READ ALSO: Niger War: Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS Are Gathering In Accra Today
He singled out President Ahmed Tinubu for criticism for leading ECOWAS to even contemplate such a decision given how Boko Haram terrorists have succeeded in ravaging parts of the country.
“You cannot fight Boko Haram. You’ve allowed your citizens to be kidnapped, to be killed, to be molested. Your villages have been ransacked by Boko Haram.
You can’t deal with Boko Haram you’re going to move your soldiers to Niger to go and fight to restore the President of Niger? Are you crazy? You ran away from Boko Haram. You hold a meeting in Abuja to prepare to go to wage war on Niger? What are you taking the people of Nigeria for? Are you mad? Are you crazy?”He quizzed.
READ ALSO: Ablakwa Urges Nana Addo To Refrain From Deploying Ghanaian Troops To ECOWAS War In Niger.
Meanwhile the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, has emphatically defended the regional body’s stance on military intervention in Niger.
Addressing the Extraordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff convened in Accra, he said, “Let no one be in doubt that if everything fails, the valiant forces of West Africa, both the Military and Civilian components are ready to answer the call of duty. Your valiance has been demonstrated time and time again. By all means available constitutional order will be restored in the country.”
