In a startling development, Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation, has launched a scathing attack against Asiwaju Tinubu and ECOWAS leaders for their proposed military intervention in Niger Republic.
Fani-Kayode voiced his concerns through a series of posts titled ‘Beware The Coup Belt.’
In his own words:
“I am constrained to respectfully put the following questions to these ECOWAS military commanders and I challenge them to provide the answers.
“Can we successfully attack a country where the civilians are holding rallies in solidatiry with their supposed oppressors?
“Quite apart from that has this ECOWAS “force” already been formed or will they divide the operation into sectors with each country taking a sector?
“Where is the Command HQ located? Who takes care of Nigér’s sector 3 of the MNJTF in the Lake Chad, for I guess they will withdraw their troops?
“If Burkina Faso and Mali join Nigér forces, as they threatened they would, who blocks the southward movement of the insurgents and terrorists scattered around the triangular borders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigér?
“Is the Russian Wagner force still active in the region? Have we prepared adequately to handle the weapons and drug-trafficking across the borders with Niger since our partners in that nation are now our enemies?
“Even with them working with us, cross border crimes are still serious issues.
“Will the AU or the UN or the West be responsible for the logistics? As at now Nigeria can’t afford to do so like it did in ECOMOG. We simply do not have the financial wherewithal or the resources.
“In my view we should still vigorously pursue the application of conflict resolution mechanisms in order to buy time to address these questions.
“If Niger Republic and her allies deliberately open a corridor for the elements of ISIS, AQIM, ISWAP etc to move into Benin and Togo, ECOWAS’ weakest link, then the whole of Nigeria’s western borders, from Sokoto to Lagos, would be vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
“Already some of the elements have penetrated into Niger State, around Borgu and Shiriro, very close to Benin Republic and some states in the South West of Nigeria”.