Africa & World

The Senate has moved to investigate the alleged killings and imprisonment of over 250 Nigerians in Ethiopia.

This followed a motion, titled: “Urgent need to investigate the unlawful killings and incarceration of over 250 Nigerians in Ethiopia,” sponsored by the Minority Leader, Senator Simon Mwadkwon, (PDP Plateau North), and Senator Victor Umeh (YPP Anambra Central).

Presenting the motion, Mwadkwon urged the Senate to direct the Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to work with the Federal Government to immediately constitute a committee to visit the Republic of Ethiopia with a view to investigating what is happening to Nigerians in the foreign land.

He also called on the Federal Government to immediately direct the Ethiopian Embassy to collaborate with the delegation of the Senate Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to find a lasting solution to problems being faced by Nigerians held in Ethiopia.

Mwadkwon said, “The video clip being circulated in the social media indicates that Nigerians are held captives in the maximum prison of Ethiopia  and are in serious peril, which calls for an urgent intervention and thorough probe.”

He lamented that this was happening despite the clarion call for unity among nations of the world.

The Senate Leader said, “There is widespread information currently being circulated by Dr. Paul Ezike calling on the Nigerian Government to intervene on the inhumanity and torture that Nigerians are receiving in Ethiopia without evidence of the commission of any crime.

“Based on the widespread information being circulated, over 250 Nigerians who have continued to face this maltreatment and inhumanity have not committed any crime known to any law and there is no evidence of any court proceedings stating the categories of crimes they have committed or any court conviction in that regard.

“It is pathetic that a nation as populous as Nigeria, the giant of Africa, our citizens are being held in captivity in the 21st century where the call is for unity among nation-states but quite lugubriously that Ethiopia has chosen shallow path to maltreat and mistreat the citizens of Nigeria without any justification as shown in a video by Dr. Paul Ezike.

The military rulers who seized control in Niamey on July 26 have given the French ambassador 48 hours to leave Niger, the country’s minister of foreign affairs said in a statement Friday.

Faced with “the refusal of the French ambassador in Niamey to respond to an invitation” from the minister for a meeting Friday and “other actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger”, the authorities have decided to withdraw their approval of Sylvain Itte and ask him to depart within 48 hours, the statement said.

The coup leaders have not been shy about their relationship with France.

Niger has accused French forces of freeing captured “terrorists” and breaching a ban on the country’s air space in an attempt to destabilise the country.

“We are witnessing a real plan of destabilisation of our country, orchestrated by French forces,” Abdramane said.

ECOWAS has imposed heavy economic sanctions on Niger following the coup and has threatened the use of armed force to restore constitutional order.

France has some 1,500 troops stationed in Niger to aid in fighting jihadist groups that have plagued the country along with the wider Sahel region for years.

Troops of the Economic Community of West African States have said that it is ready to ensure that civil rule is restored in Niger Republic through force if diplomatic efforts to reverse a coup there fail.

All active member states pledged to participate in the standby force at a meeting in Accra, Ghana except those under military rule and Cape Verde,, on Thursday.

Addressing the assembled Defence Chiefs from ECOWAS member countries, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security,  Abdel-Fatau Musah, “Let no one be in doubt if everything else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa…are ready to answer to the call of duty.

“By all means available, constitutional order will be restored in the country.”

According to Ghana News Agency, Musah said ECOWAS would go to Niger with its resources and any organisation willing to help was welcome.

The commissioner said, “The request for Chapter VII is often done in order to secure resources, and access contributions from the UN offer. The Heads of State are saying we are going to Niger with our resources. Anyone who wants to help us, fair enough.”

Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council’s powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to determine the existence of any threat to peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, and to take military and non-military action to restore international peace and security.

Al Jazeera had quoted Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, to have said, “Democracy is what we stand for and it’s what we encourage.

“The focus of our gathering is not simply to react to events, but to proactively chart a course that results in peace and promote stability.”

However, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Germany has thrown its weight behind the European Union sanctions against the Niger Republic military junta.

EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the Niger situation, including sanctions, at a meeting in Toledo, Spain, on August 31, 2023.

The EU, one of the biggest providers of aid to Niger, said last month it was suspending security cooperation and financial support that had been set at EUR 503 million in 2021-2024 to help improve governance and education.

During a visit to Abuja, German Development Minister, Svenja Schulze, also met with representatives of the West African bloc ECOWAS, the ministry said.

Also, the Southern Africa Development Community bloc in Nigeria on Thursday supported the actions taken by the African Union and the ECOWAS to restore democracy in Niger.