President Bola Tinubu held crucial consultations with Governors from states sharing borders with the neighbouring Niger Republic on Sunday evening.
The consultant was necessitated following the junta’s adamant posturing and the escalating situation in Niger Republic.
Among the Governors in attendance are Kebbi State governor, Idris Nasir; Katsina State governor, Dikko Radda; Sokoto State governor, Ahmed Aliyu; Jigawa State governor, Umar Namadi; and Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni.
No formal statement has been issued yet on the President’s meeting with the five State governors, which held at the State House, Abuja.
There has been growing concern over the fate of Niger Republic as the coup plotters rebuffed entreaties to release President Bazoum and restore democratic rule.
In his reaction to the situation in Niger Republic, Nigerian human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) affirmed that the Tinubu administration is required to seek the approval of both houses of the National Assembly, in compliance with Section 5(4) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which stipulates:
“The President shall not declare a state of war between the federation and another country except with the sanction of a resolution of both Houses of the National Assembly, sitting in a joint session. And except with the prior approval of the Senate, no member of the armed forces of the federation shall be deployed on combat duty outside Nigeria.”
Falana added: “In addition to the constitutional mandate, the ECOWAS is required to seek and obtain the authorisation of the UN Security Council to launch an attack on a sovereign nation pursuant to Article 53(1) of the United Nations Charter. Article 53(1) provides in part, ‘the Security Council shall, where appropriate, utilise such regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under its authority’.”
He added that, even after securing approval from both houses of Assembly, the conduct of ECOWAS, as a regional arrangement, is subject to the provisions of the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 53(1) and general international law.