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President Bola Tinubu has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to initiate a series of financial sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the leaders of the coup that truncated the democratic order in Niger Republic.
Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, who made this known on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen at the State House, Abuja, while not giving details of the sanctions, however, maintained that they are being instituted under the authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This move is in addition to electricity transmission already cut by Nigeria to Niger, its northern neighbours to pressurize the military to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
According to Ngelale: “The news is that Mr. President has directed the acting CBN governor to levy another slew of sanctions against entities and individuals associated with the military junta in Niger public.
“I said that intentionally. I didn’t make a mistake, because I was given permission to make that statement and I emphasize that this is not an individual action taken by an individual President on behalf of individual nation.
“This is an action taken. Yes, by ECOWAS chairman who is the president of Nigeria but standing on the authority provided by the consensus resolution of all ECOWAS members and heads of state with regard to financial sanctions being levied by ECOWAS Member States against the military junta in Niger Republic.
“There is an authority that we are standing on. It is not Nigerian government authority, it is the authority of the resolution passed in public before now.”
The Media Adviser explained that the actions against Niger being coordinated by President Tinubu are not personal as they are under the auspices of the ECOWAS where he is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
His words: “Concerning the ultimatum given to the military Junta in Niger Republic, the ECOWAS mandate, and ultimatum is not a Nigerian ultimatum. It is not a Nigerian mandate.
“And the office of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also serving as the Chairman of ECOWAS, seeks to emphasize this point, that due to certain domestic and international media coverage, tending toward a personalization of the ECOWAS sub regional position to his person and to our nation individually.
“It is because of this that Mr. President has deemed it necessary to state unequivocally that the mandate and ultimatum by issued ECOWAS is that of ECOWAS’ position.
“While his Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assumed the ECOWAS chairmanship, the position of ECOWAS conveys the consensus position of member heads of state. And a coup will not occur in one’s backyard, without one be particularly aware of it.
“The president in recent days, particularly following the expiration of the ultimatum given by ECOWAS has widened consultations internationally but most especially domestically, including interfaces with state governors in Nigeria, who govern states bordering Niger public on the various fallouts and outcomes of the unfortunate situation that has unfolded in Niger Republic.
“But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wishes to emphasize to this distinguished audience that the response of ECOWAS to the military coup in Niger has been and will remain devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments and considerations.
“The regional bloc is made up of all sub regional ethnic groups, religious groups, and all other forms of human diversity. And the response of ECOWAS, therefore, represents all of these groups, and not any of these groups individually.”
According to him, Thursday’s extraordinary summit of ECOWAS in Abuja will come up with far-reaching decisions on the recent developments in Niger Republic.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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