We strongly commend the latest move by president Tinubu appointment of Jim Osayande Obazee, the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) as Special Investigator to probe the CBN and its related entities under Emefiele leadership.

The recent happenings resulting from the move made by the Department of State Services (DSS) to rearrest and continue to interrogate the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is a commendable job. It is known that the DSS are accusing the CBN governor of economic and financial crimes of national security dimension and have even filed an ex-parte motion at the high court in Abuja for his arrest over these accusations.
However, while the sitting judge declined the ex-parte motion filed, he mentioned that if the DSS believes that the evidence available to it so far is sufficient, then it has the jurisdiction to arrest and detain the applicant, even without the order of the court. So, in all fairness to DSS their operation is within the ambit of rule of law.
Though this may not stop some disgruntle elements from outside the government and as well as influential politicians who are very close to the embattled former CBN governor, and who have benefitted hugely from Godwin Emefiele scams against Nigerian people at CBN through receiving all sort of contracts and financial favours are fighting back on his behalf. It was found that the above the described elements are using their influence inside the administration of president Tinubu as well as using proxies (by sponsoring protest by selfish civil society groups and attacks from media outlets) to fight the DSS particularly with the aim to smear the name and efforts of its Director-General, Yusuf Bichi, and some of the service’s key officials of the DSS. These selfish politicians have shown to have no regards to the rule of law, nor do they care about the general security of the country.
It is important that Nigerians ask the following important questions – What is Emefiele doing with that catchment of ammunitions discovered at his home? Why are powerful people who are known to be selfish and corrupt supporting Emefiele and shielding him away from facing justice? If Emefiele believe he is not guilty and he can prove that over the course of the investigation that will be huge win for his image in this country. And we all know that he will never go down unjustifiably, he can afford the best lawyers in this country, also his cohorts and friends will ensure that he get justice. But it is clear to Nigerians that the CBN governor and cohorts are trying hard to scuttle the investigation, for them it is not a matter of justice or proving innocence but a matter of LEAVE HIM ALONE irrespective of what he has done wrong. It is important for Bola Tinibu led administration to know that if this case is allowed to be swept under the carpet. it has the tendency of creating sense of impunity and demoralize the agile operatives of DSS and other security agencies jointly fought to unearth the criminality of Emefiele.
It is also very important for citizens of our country to understand that we cannot afford to allow people in power to act and behave recklessly, mismanage our resources, abuse their office, and still get away with it, just because they are being shielded by the power surrounding them. We cannot have a country were only the poor and powerless are subjected to the rule of law whereas those in power and their cohorts are not. And worst of all is when these enemies of progress use the illiteracy and hunger of some of our citizens to deceive them into fighting their selfish war against the very people that protect the interest of this country. Every Nigerian should be grateful to the DSS and its Director General, Mr Bichi due to their efforts in taming the monstrous insecurity facing this nation. Since the coming in of Mr Bichi, the DSS has been nothing but excellent playing its role diligently, gathering security intelligence and fighting so much security threats a lot of which most the public are not even aware of. We all know that DSS is saddled with critical functions of prevention and detection of any crime/terrorism against the internal security of Nigeria and provision of timely advice to Government on all matters of National security interest among other. So why will their investigation on the CBN governor be an exception just because of the interest of selfish elements. Nigerians need to understand that if the accusations against Emefiele are true and the DSS are prevented from carrying out their constitutional duty on the matter, the cost of this will be enormous capable bringing this country on its knees, emboldening terrorist sponsors and worse demoralising our security agencies and personnel.
Nigerians should not allow politicians and selfish elements to turn us against the very institution that protect our security interest and enemies of this countries. While it is expected that when corrupt elements and officials are investigated by security agencies, they will fight back, however its duty Nigerian citizens to stand in solidarity with the DSS in protecting and imposing sanity in the public institutions. It is understood that these selfish backers of the Mr Emefiele are using every influence at their disposal reaching out to sellout media to smear the name of DSS Director and its officials. Thus, it is imperative that Nigerians stand in solidarity and talk with one voice to support the DSS and its official, and urging the presidency to do all what it takes to support DSS on such critical security investigations.
We strongly commend the latest move by president Tinubu appointment of Jim Osayande Obazee, the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) as Special Investigator to probe the CBN and its related entities under Emefiele leadership. We hope similar action will be extended in the case of former EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa to reap what he sows.
Ambassador Salisu Jaji wrote in from Abuja

I don’t believe that Tinubu does not know the implications of his warmongering stance against Niger Republic.
If he does not know, at least the Realists in his team must have worked out the implications by now. It has grave religious and ethnic downside.
There is a school of thought encouraging him to go on this warmongering stance.
These people including the Oduduwa Republic adherents, the Biafrans, Asari Dokubo and the Ijaw nation, the Bokists, and many other inchoate splinter groups who would move ‘ to their tents’ and declare their own nations when the Tinubu cataclysm erupts.
No nation goes to war on behalf of Neocolonialists and other parasitic world powers to enforce democracy. What happened to the principle of ‘Non interference in the internal affairs of other nations’ which the Western nations studiously adhere to.
Why is Mr President crying louder than the bereaved?
The other tactics to secure votes and win an election not the same or even worse than a coup d etat?
I think the usual platitudes should just have been mouthed by our President and then leave the people of Niger to sort themselves out.
He has stopped electricity flow to Niger.
Does he know that we supply electric power to Niger Republic in exchange for their not constructing a Dam on their own end of the River Niger, which would have completely ruined the lives of millions of Nigerians and which will put the Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro dams out of business?
The electricity we supply is a small price we pay for the Nigerienes not to dam the said River.
He should have consulted with General Gowon who would have explained the depth of Nigeria’s relationship with Niger starting with the reign of President Hamani Diori.
Finally, the arms dealers like vultures are locked in on this threat of war. The biggest arms dealers are the same countries encouraging ECOWAS to go to war on behalf of democracy that they do not practice. They are yearning for a large scale war in Africa, which will depopulate us and hand the region over to them FOC without the rigours of colonisation.
The President should not start what he cannot finish.

Daudu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

An urgent military action by the Economic Community of West Afrocan States (ECOWAS) to push out the junta in Niger is a necessity for several reasons.
I will try to present the reasons as follows:
1. The Nigerien coup is not due to any particular political conditions, but to the personal interests of soldiers who had not anticipated anything, and want to serve themselves rather than serve the people.
Why?
Because:
– The junta lied about the security situation in Niger, which, in actual fact, has improved in recent months. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Niger had recognized this fact in his wishes’ greetings in January 2023. This situation is weakening the army of Niger.- The political and security situation in Niger has improved significantly over the past two years thanks to the good governance of Mohamed Bazoum’s government and the coordinated action of the Nigerien and foreign forces, and always under command of Niger.
2. Why Tchiani wants power:
– The coup was led by General Tchiani, head of the Presidential Guard. Whereas he was to be suspended from his post for incompetence, he managed to mobilize members of the Republican Guard to negotiate with the president a severance grant. General Tchiani has gone too far and found himself in a situation where he was either to grab power or he was going to end up in jail. So he chose to mobilize other embittered, disappointed soldiers in their ranking to join him in his attempt to take power.
– Not wanting a confrontation between inhabitants of Niger, the CDS of Niger didn’t choose to frustrate the those responsible for this coup using force and then rally them. The perpetrators of the coup have started by arguing about who would take power, General Tchiani seems to have taken over and began to rewrite a history related to “national interests” to legitimize himself. Former pro-Bazoum civil servants and soldiers are now being hunted (many arrests), which shows moreover that promises of appeasement of the members of the junta are lies.
3. Another major reason for an ECOWAS action is that:
This coup will have economic and security consequences for the entire sub-region region.
– The coup brings an inexperienced, even pyromaniac, team to a key Sahel state. The Niger Republic will isolate itself regionally and internationally, which will have consequences on economy and movement of people.
Ignoring Russia…
Despite its reassuring rhetoric, Russia is reproducing its policy of pressuring the new junta as it did in Burkina Faso by mobilizing rioters with Russian flags. Russia seeks to combine defence of the junta with its own interests. Russia, which is not capable of moving forward a hundred meters into Ukraine, does not have the military or financial capacities to support Niger at the same level as Western forces.
Likely Consequences of the coup
The most likely outcome is a security collapse in Niger on the same level as in Mali, which has lost control of three-quarters of its territory.
The most likely outcome is the emergence of a continuous insecure zone from Mauritania to Algeria border unto Boko Haram evolution zones. For this reason, Algeria has also condemned the coup.
4. The necessary ECOWAS’ answer
ECOWAS is legitimate, as it represents Benin, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Cape Verde, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Niger legitimate government.
The accusations against ECOWAS of being controlled by France are racist and conspiracy: they imply that all authorities in all these countries are controlled by Paris.
Because of the risk of serious economic and security destabilization posed by this coup over an important part of West Africa, an ECOWAS military intervention to restore order in Niger is necessary.
The junta has the support of only a small part of the population and an upside down of the situation, meaning a support to the Nigerien people, will be fast thanks to an action by ECOWAS, including military action.
James is an African affairs analyst