MATTERS ARISING
WHERE IS NIGERIA’S DOG IN THIS FIGHT?
THE COUP
FACTS OF THIS CASE:
It was a case of the dog biting the dog handler. The Arabian looking, family friend of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Niger President Mohamed Bazoum locked himself inside his lavish mansion when rumours of mutiny got across to him on July 26th 2023 sweating in desperation, phoning his French and American friends in panic without success. Two days later, on 28 July, his government had collapsed and the regime was no more.
The door he locked from inside was further pad-locked from outside by his Chief Security Officer, commander of his Guards battalion, General Omar Tchiani. The structure on which his regime stood was like a concrete pillar without steel reinforcement. The building vibrated and the structure dissolved with no resistance. The ethnic arithmetic was not in his favour. His Arab tribe is less than 1% where the Hausa held sway at over 50% yet he could not erase a perception of nepotism in favour of the minority.
To escalate an already freaky situation, he had removed the Chief of Army staff in April and whispers of General Tchiani’s removal or dismissal was in the air. No wonder therefore he was seen to be beholden to colonial interests and patronising to French and American organisations and companies. Though not exclusive to his government, political elites are not helpful. They parade ill-gotten gains with much wasteful ceremony. And trust soldiers, like vultures, the boys and their commanders are always hiding in ambush to pounce, seize the national treasury and draw their own blood from the veins of the economy.
NIGER REPUBLIC
The wealth of the land and the poverty of its people are difficult to explain to common sense. The extractive activities of France on Niger’s Uranium, oil and gold have brought no benefit but pain, regret and anger to the people. Where this had been subdued in the past, social media and the proliferation of mobile phones have made streaming of the good life an instrument of discontent and contrast between what the poor suffer and that which the corrupt elite enjoy. Yet, like in Nigeria and other African Countries, leaders keep parading their excesses to the suffering people.
In an article in ‘This Day’ newspapers on July 31, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, the foreign affairs expert and former DG of Nigeria Institute of International Affairs had this to say: “One endemic agent of coup d’état in Niger is the poor management of poverty in the Country. As noted in the World Bank report, more than 40% of the people of Niger live in extreme poverty.” Professor Akinterinwa observes that ethnicity and nepotism are also key items in the disaffection with leadership. “President Bazoum, who is from Niger’s ethnic Arab minority has always been accused of having foreign origins and he has been responding that his rival’s father is from Chad. The Nigerien army is sharply divided on many national questions: appointments are made along ethnic lines rather than for professional reasons.” That sounds like Nigeria under Muhammadu Buhari, doesn’t it? Akinterinwa also argues that global politics, especially between America, China and Russia may also be in the field of play too.
REACTION AND INTERESTS
Reaction to the coup can be explained from the interest of parties affected or offended by this change.
FRANCE AND THE UNITED STATES
Out there in Niger and the rest of francophone West Africa, poverty walks with attitude. France left a legacy of ignominy at independence. If that is not the point of discussion today, the consistency of holding these countries down to a painful history of racism is a subject of regret. On coup day and after, it was like they were just waking up from a trance. France and America, caught off guard with pants down, suddenly appeared to see the implication of their tardiness to the geopolitics of interests and competing forces at play with China and Russia. They moved to summon their traditional international tools: The United Nations, European Union were quickly made to condemn the coup and talk loudly of democracy and its impairment. Contact was made to the ECOWAS sub regional body to rise up, talk tough and mobilise for forceful eviction of the rebels.
What do France and America want in Niger? Well, experts believe that France is totally focused on minerals and cannot be bothered about the suffering and poverty of the people, the Americans are killing many birds with one stone. They are protecting the uranium deposit which is mined by France and supervising and exploiting the oil and gas wealth of Niger and Libya simultaneously.
The French military system is established to protect:
- Areva, a French multinational company specialising in nuclear energy and mining uranium in northern Niger.
- Total SE a French multinational oil and gas company drilling and producing in the Country
- Orange a French multinational telecommunications corporation.
These companies make billions of dollars annually for France and leave nothing behind in infrastructure and contribution to the development of the poverty ravaged Country. Other French Companies mine gold and other metals.
America is even more devilish in their agenda. They adopt Niger republic as anchor to expand their interests in Libya and neighbouring Nations of economic and security interests to them. They too have very lucrative businesses going in Niger:
- ExxonMobil and oil and gas exploration and production multinational
- Chevron another American multinational oil and gas operation.
Both countries secure their interest by force of arms. Between them, on ground in Niger, the French has 1,500 men in arms while America deployed 1,200. They also share 3 huge and highly sophisticated military bases including a drone station.
How then did this coup go so smoothly without detection and immediate help for Bazoum? Can both France and the United States be completely unaware of this operation with this sophisticated presence?
- Agadez Air Base, owned and operated by the United States, located strategically in the North near the border with Libya and Mali.
- Madama Military Base, located again north of Niger near the border with Libyan in the Diffa region
- Niamey Air Base, operated by France but frequently patronised by the United States too.
The pretext for these assets is security and terrorism intelligence, surveillance and combat. Yet it is noted that little fight or support against terrorism and trafficking go on in these bases. Jihadists continue to pour into West African Countries under their watch There are conspiracy theories that these Countries keep a blind eye to the activities of terrorists in order that they can explain their presence in these rich regions of Africa. These bases are designed to secure the territory against competition with any other power for uranium and oil. Uranium is that critical resource in the chemistry of thermonuclear technology, particularly nuclear bombs. The French mine them, the United States protect the mines.
ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)
For leaders of the West African region, fear is the common denominator setting them all in panic. If they are afraid of the wave of coups and the frequency since 2021, now at near pandemic stage in west Africa, they struggle to arrest the spread of the contagion by these contingent of young military officers.
But the people are not necessarily behind them. Where leaders speak volubly of violation of the constitution, the people express resentment of the scandalous lifestyle and stealing in politics. And as talks of illegitimacy and illegality are waved like banners, the people know that hardly any rule or law is allowed to work. Between the leaders in politics and elders in the judiciary, the rule of law is a joke.
The interest of ECOWAS leaders in this matter is self-preservation while the people only want change. Understandably so too. The West African subregion has been a cauldron of coups since 2021.
Mali soldiers rose against their leader on 24/5/2021.
On 5/09/2021, it was the turn of Guinea to kick out its President.
Later that year, 25/10/2021, Sudan toppled its strongman President to round up a turbulent year.
Opening up the new year, 2022, Burkina Faso took delivery of a new soldier leader on 24/1/2022. But this one was booted out again on 30/09/2022.
Now Niger this year on 26/07/2023.
So you can see where this is all going and why West African leaders are shaking in their expensive Italian shoes.
NIGERIA’S NATIONAL INTEREST
In interrogating Nigeria’s interest in this matter, attention must be called to the ethnic identity of the majority in Niger. The Hausa in Nigeria cannot be happy to see Nigeria killing its people in Niger. Can we afford to fight those who insulate our perimeter fence against jihadists from the Sahel? And for what? If we do not share in uranium, oil or gold interest in Niger, who and what then are we fighting for? America and France? Besides, what is the state of our security readiness, our economic health and the state of security within our borders to embark on external adventures? If we are not totally sure of all these, are we confident we will not suffer humiliation in the end?
Imagine Nigeria flapping its weak wings, spreading its tattered and withered feathers, and gallivanting around outside its borders to trigger a war with its neighbour, Niger. Chad and its Junta will take it as a challenge against their own coup, Burkina Faso will rise and march arm in arm with Niger against Nigeria and whatever tattered and beggarly army it gathers in West Africa. Besides, where do we find the resources to engage in such elaborate arrogance?
Honestly, I cannot see our dog in this fight.
Francis Ojo
