Niger coup: Nigerian Islamic Ulama get Tinubu’s nod to intervene on behalf of ECOWAS

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Niger coup: Nigerian Islamic Ulama get Tinubu’s nod to intervene on behalf of ECOWAS

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, continued with the series of consultations and meetings at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on resolving the political crisis in Niger Republic, where a coup d’etat recently occurred.

The Economic Community of West African States which Authority of Heads of State and Government, chaired by Tinubu, has intervened by imposing a series of sanctions and an ultimatum, which the body threatened to lead to armed response.

However, on Wednesday evening, Tinubu, as Chairman of ECOWAS’ Authority of Heads of State and Government, met with leaders of various Islamic sects in the country, who sought his approval to intervene and negotiate with their counterparts in Niger Republic.

Just as the meeting with the Islamic Ulama was ending, the former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, also walked into the Presidential Villa to hold another round of meeting with President Tinubu. Sanusi had earlier on Wednesday met with the leaders of the junta in Niamey.

Also, the President met earlier in the day with a larger set of Islamic scholars at the Villa on the same matter.

The clerics (Ulamas), who are opposed to war with the Nigerien military, as threatened by ECOWAS, said that apart from the dire consequences of armed conflict, they were enjoined by their religious faith and the Quran to seek mediation first in cases like this before resorting to war.

Sheikh Bala Lau of the Izalla group and Sheikh Abdurahman Ahmad of Ansar ud Deen, flanked by leaders of other sects, addressed journalists after their meeting with President Tinubu.

According to Sheikh Lau, “We thank Allah that He gave us the opportunity to meet with Mr. President and the delegation of Ulama from here in Nigeria met with Mr. President on the issue of Niger Republic. We want to find a lasting solution, we want peace and harmony to reign, not only in Nigeria, but in the sub region and in the globe as well.

“The Ulama advised Mr. President that we want peace and reconciliation. If anything happens between you and your neighbour, the holy Quran commands you to reconcile, so we want reconciliation.

“That’s why we are here and our able leader and President accepted the offer that he wants us to intervene and to talk to our brothers in Niger Republic, the scholars also there on how we can come together and bring a lasting solution to this problem.

“That is why we are here and insha Allah, by the grace of Allah, we’re optimistic that Allah will do it for us and we’ll find a lasting solution to this issue. May Allah continue to guy us and may He continue to protect us”, he said.

Also speaking on their meeting with the President, Sheikh Ahmad of Ansar-u-deen Movement said, “The President welcomed our intervention and he has promised that if we could also talk to the people on the other side, for them to be ready to give concession, then ECOWAS that he’s Chairman of will also be ready.

“Other than that, the President deplored the coup d’etat in the Sahel region and as a democrat himself, he said he will do everything to ensure that there is democracy, justice, freedom and peace in the sub-region.

“We as the Ulama are also committed to peace and justice and the government will be enabling the Ulama to mediate as it is appropriate. This is why we are here and it is a mission accomplished because the President responded positively and in turn he has given us assignment to also mediate to ensure reconciliation between the warring factions in Niger.

“We pray for peace, not only in Nigeria, but also in the sub-region and in the world because that is the only thing that can ensure development”, he said.

Meanwhile, former Emir Sanusi, speaking to journalists after his meeting with the President, said he was in the Villa to inform Tinubu of the outcome of his meeting with leaders of Niger junta, adding that he was well received in Niger.

According to him, he went on the peace mission without any government’s prompting, but as a leader who was doing what was expected of him as a leader, adding that resolving the crisis cannot be left to governments alone.

“I came to brief him on the details of my discussions with leaders of Niger. We’ll continue to do our best to bring the two parties together to improve understanding. This is the time for public diplomacy, it’s not a matter that we leave to governments, all Nigerians, all Nigeriens need to be involved to find a solution that works for Africa, a solution that works for Niger that works for Nigeria and a solution that works for humanity”, he said.

When asked if he was a government emissary on the mission, he said “no, I was not sent by the government. Government officials were aware I was going, but it was my personal initiative, using my personal contacts to get there and I will continue to do my best. It is my duty as a leader to do that”.