International

Leaders of AU, ECOWAS meet over Adamant Niger junta

Published

3 years ago

August 7, 2023

355 Views

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) leaders were locked in a meeting yesterday as the deadline set by the regional bloc for the Niger junta to return President Mohamed Bazoum to power expired yesterday. The meeting was virtual.

Also, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with governors of states that share a boundary with the Niger Republic in Abuja.

The meeting was part of consultations by the President on the situation in Niger.

The communiqué of the meeting was not released as at 11pm press time.

In attendance were governors Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Mai Malam Buni (Yobe), Idris Nasir (Kebbi) and Dr Dikko Radda (Katsina).

ECOWAS leaders will this week convene a meeting in Abuja after their virtual meeting to make a crucial decision on the ultimatum.

A source privy to the ECOWAS meeting said a communique will be issued afterwards.

Following a military coup against the democratically elected President of Niger Republic, the ECOWAS states had given a seven-day ultimatum against the junta to vacate office or face dire consequences.

The junta has remained defiant despite ECOWAS threatening to attack. The regional bloc had said the military had until yesterday to return power to the democratically elected president.

The junta has also asked for help from the Russian mercenary group, Wagner, according to an analyst.

The request came during a visit by a member of the Niger junta, General Salifou Mody, to neighbouring Mali, where he made contact with Wagner officers.

ECOWAS defence chiefs finalised an intervention plan on Friday after a mediation team was denied entry to Niger’s capital, Niamey, to meet with junta leader General Abdourahmane Tchiani.

But, Algeria has indicated that it was against any military intervention in Niger, according to its President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

“A military intervention could ignite the whole Sahel region, and Algeria will not use force with its neighbours,” Tabboune said in an interview with local media.

Along with the EU, Algeria called for unifying political and diplomatic pressures to ensure a return to the “constitutional order” in Niger.

The Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau State also rejected military action

Rising from an emergency meeting, members of AANI strongly condemned the military seizure of power in the Niger Republic but called for caution.

“It supports the efforts of ECOWAS’ towards restoring democracy in the West African country.

“However, in restoring democracy, ECOWAS should consider the immediate and long-term implications of its actions on the people of the Niger Republic and the wider West African sub-region,” the association said in a statement by its spokesman, Gen. Sani Usman Kukasheka (retd).

A peace-building think tank, Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro), cautioned the ECOWAS against listening to the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) over what it called a mission of military intervention in Niger Republic.

PeacePro noted that USIP’s advocacy for military intervention in Niger betrayed any known peace-building techniques that could foster cooperation and ensure conflict transformation.

The group’s Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, expressed his amazement over the statement credited to USIP country manager, Chris Kwaja, urging ECOWAS to use force and bite hard in handling the situation in Niger Republic.

Also, Peace and Conflict Studies expert, Prof. Isaac Albert, urged President Tinubu not to embark on military action against Niger.

Albert, of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the action might be more dangerous, as it was capable of leading to the springing up of more terrorist groups.

“Tinubu should seek the advice of security experts before leading ECOWAS on invading Niger, especially due to Nigeria’s current internal security challenge.

”Attacking Niger at this point is not the best option because it may give rise to more terrorist groups to connive and attack Nigeria.

”Yes, Nigeria and ECOWAS may be able to defeat Niger in the short run, but Nigeria may have Boko Haram, Russia-backed Wagner and other terrorist organisations to contend with in the long run.

“We must not forget that the Nigerian army is substantially helping Nigeria to curtail the activities of Boko Haram along its border.

“Moreover, most of the countries claiming to be supporting Nigeria today may be our enemies at the end of the day.

“Furthermore, where will Nigeria and ECOWAS get the required funds to pursue the invasion?

“Ghana, The Gambia, Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire Coast, Togo and other ECOWAS member-states, alongside Nigeria, are in economic crises and struggling to satisfy the yawning of their people,” he said.

A professor of Comparative Politics, Gbade Ojo, said that bad governance on the part of civilian leaders brought about recent military take-over in some African countries.

Ojo, of the Department of Political Science, University of Ilorin, pointed out that nothing good would come out of the impending military action against Niger if the citizens of the country had decided to accept the military junta.

According to him, many civilian leaders in Africa are encouraging coups because of their sit-tight leadership style.

ECOWAS, under the chairman of Tinubu, had recently given Niger’s coup leaders up till yesterday to step down and reinstate the democratically-elected president or face military action.

International

Japan opens door to global arms market with overhaul of defence export rules

“No single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, and partner countries that support each other in terms of defence equipment are necessary,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a post on X.

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2026

OCHEFA

28 Views

Japan’s old warship / Reuters image

Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest overhaul of defence export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons.

According to Reuters, the move aimed at strengthening Japan’s defence industrial ‌base marks another step away from the pacifist restraints that have shaped its postwar security policy.

Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are also straining U.S. weapons production, expanding opportunities for Japan.

At the same time, U.S. allies in Europe and Asia are looking to diversify suppliers as Washington’s long-held security commitments look less certain under President Donald Trump.

The revision approved by Takaichi’s government removes five export categories that had limited most military exports to rescue, transport, ⁠warning, surveillance and mine-sweeping equipment.

Ministers and officials will instead assess the merits of each proposed sale.

Japan will keep in place three export principles that commit it to strict screening, controls on transfers to third countries and a ban on sales to countries involved in conflict.

But in a presentation outlining the changes, the government said exceptions could be made when deemed necessary for national security.

International

South Korea Successfully Navigates First Oil Tanker Through Red Sea Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade

Published

6 days ago

April 17, 2026

Charles Flames

54 Views

A South Korean oil tanker has safely transited the Red Sea, marking the country’s first successful crude oil shipment via this alternative route since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year.

The development comes as South Korea intensifies efforts to secure its energy supplies amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and the blockade of one of the world’s most vital oil chokepoints, triggered by the prolonged conflict involving Iran.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the tanker, which loaded crude oil at Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, has now exited the waterway. President Lee Jae-myung welcomed the news, describing it as a positive step for the nation’s energy security.

“It is good news that our vessel is transporting crude oil via the Red Sea for the first time since the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,” President Lee posted on social media, commending officials and the crew for their efforts.

The move forms part of a broader strategy to diversify import routes and reduce reliance on the blocked Strait of Hormuz.

South Korea has already secured more than 270 million barrels (approximately 273 million barrels according to some reports) of crude oil and naphtha from the Middle East and Kazakhstan through alternative channels unaffected by the crisis.

These supplies are expected to sustain the country’s needs for several months.

Officials noted that the government plans to deploy additional Korean-flagged vessels to the Red Sea port of Yanbu in phases to further stabilise imports, despite risks such as potential threats from Houthi rebels in the region.

The successful transit highlights growing global shifts in energy logistics, as import-dependent nations adapt to disruptions in traditional shipping routes caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

South Korea, which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil, continues to explore bypass options, including discussions on alternative pipelines and storage facilities, to ensure uninterrupted energy flows and protect its economy from volatility.

International

BBC to Cut 2,000 Jobs in Biggest Downsize in 15 Years

The corporation announced a £600 million cost-cutting plan in February, saying that it would involve a reduction in headcount and the end of some programming.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2026

OCHEFA

46 Views

The BBC is to cut as many as 2,000 jobs in the biggest downsizing of the public service broadcaster in 15 years.

Staff were informed of the cuts, which will affect about 10 percent of the BBC’s 21,500 employees, at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the Guardian UK reported yesterday.

The round of job losses, the biggest at the BBC since 2011, is being set in motion before the former top Google executive Matt Brittin takes over as director general next month.

The corporation announced a £600 million cost-cutting plan in February, saying that it would involve a reduction in headcount and the end of some programming.

Tim Davie, the outgoing director general, said at the time that the BBC would need to cut 10 per cent of its approximately £6 billion annual cost base over the next three years.

Davie left the BBC on April 2, having announced his resignation in November after controversy over coverage of issues including Donald Trump, Gaza and trans rights.