By Joan Nwagwu
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has counselled the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the use of military force to remove the military junta in Niger Republic.
The NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, gave the advice in a statement signed by him on Sunday in Abuja.
It would be recalled that at the end of the second extraordinary summit of the Authority of ECOWAS (Committee of Heads of State/Governments) on Aug. 10 issued a terse statement to deploy military might to restore democracy in Niger.
The statement had directed the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.
It also said the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force is to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
It also said this was in order to “underscore its continued commitment to restoring constitutional order through peaceful means”.
According to Ajaero, this is an euphemism for war, immediate war on Niger Republic, “our consistently most peaceful neighbour.
“It will amount to stating the obvious that we at the Nigeria Labour Congress are averse to military rule. Indeed the history of the struggle for democratic rule in Nigeria cannot be complete without mentioning the illustrious contribution of the Labour Movement.
“Despite our unimpeachable credentials in the popular struggle against military rule, we would strongly counsel against the use of military force to remove the military junta in Niger Republic,” he said.
He added that the disadvantages clearly outweighed the benefits, from putting in danger the lives of the deposed President Bazoum and his family to the destabilisation of the entire region.
He said this include Northern Nigeria and loss of many lives in and out of the battle field.
Ajaero said that equally of significance was the unintended possibility of turning Niger into a fertile territory for proxy wars.
“Even after the war is over, the region must brace itself for raised acts of terrorism or insurgency.
“This is just as it might signal the end of ECOWAS as we know it today given the scenario of 10 members fighting five,” he said.
