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CSOs, Medıa Organisations, Urge Malı Burkına Faso, And Niger Juntas To Refrain From Transforming To Civilian Rulers, Call for Dialogue Against Withdrawal from ECOWAS

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CSOs, Medıa Organisations, Urge Malı Burkına Faso, And Niger Juntas To Refrain From Transforming To Civilian Rulers, Call for Dialogue Against Withdrawal from ECOWAS

By: Michael Mike

Civil Society Organisations as well as Media organisations have urged Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger military juntas to refrain from transforming to civilian rulers but instead allow for democrats back in power.

They stated this in a communique they issued at the end of CSOs, Media interactive meeting on the state of ECOWAS and regional integration in West Africa.

The communique signed by CSOs, media organisations, lamented: “The stability of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a regional bloc of economic, human and political development has been threatened in recent years by political instability and security challenges in some member states.

“Since August 2020, the region has recorded several coup d’etats where democratic governments have been toppled and constitutional procedures trampled.”

The CSOs, media organisations went further in the communique to state that to address these challenges, civil society organisations (CSOs) in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, including the West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Transition Monitoring (TMG), the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Nigeria), Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGOs) and Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) organised a CSOs and Media Interactive Meeting on State of ECOWAS and Regional Integration in West Africa.

The meeting which was held in Lagos on Monday, 5th February 2024 centered on the state of affairs within ECOWAS and measures required to avoid further instability and possible disintegration of the regional bloc which before now had been regarded as the template for regional integration in Africa.

It also acknowledged the relevance of ECOWAS to the integration of the region with notable achievements among which include the free movement of persons, the trade liberalization scheme and, above all, the establishment of the Customs Union, with the entry into force of the Common External Tariff (CET) in 2015 which have contributed to furthering integration of the region.

The CSOs and media organisations group observed the following; Given the security challenges in the region, the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the ECOWAS will cause set back to the gains of peace and security efforts under the direction of regional authority especially in the fight against terrorism; the withdrawal defeats the purpose of regional economic corporation within the ECOWAS bloc including the establishment of an African Continental Free Trade Area. It will adversely affect the life and livelihood of the citizens of West Africa; it will further exacerbate corruption, illicit financial flows (IFFs) and drug and human trafficking across the borders

They also stated that democracy in West Africa has become more fragile despite the principles of zero tolerance for unconstitutional change of government, tenure elongation, fraudulent elections and bad governance contained in the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, the culture of impunity and disregard for the rule of law by political elites in West Africa have continued to weaken state institutions.

They recommended at the end of the meeting the following; ECOWAS should urgently call for an emergency extra ordinary summit to look into the state of affairs in the region in order to prevent further threats of disintegration; immediate dialogue must be pursued with the affected countries and all sanctions be removed to pave the way for genuine reconciliation, asking the Authorities of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to rescind their decisions to withdraw from ECOWAS because of obvious beneficial reasons, calling on state and non-state actors in the region to intensify engagements towards ensuring a more united ECOWAS.

Other recommendations include that ECOWAS should work with the authorities in these countries to urgently adopt transition plans with a clear roadmap for a quick restoration of democratic order:
urged the military authorities in the affected countries to refrain from attempts to transform themselves from military to civil rulers; ECOWAS should work with the Authorities in these countries to ensure free, fair, and credible elections; asking CSOs and media to engage positively and ensure electoral transparency, popular participation and inclusion in the electoral process.

They also recommended that in the spirit of the ideals of ECOWAS VISION 2050, ECOWAS should speed up the review of the ECOWAS supplementary protocol on good governance to prevent tenure elongation, electoral manipulation and rigging, curb unconstitutional changes of government; with the adoption of Vision 2050, ECOWAS Parliament should begin to have elective representatives rather than appointive representation. This will contribute to making it a truly ECOWAS of the peoples; ECOWAS should operationalize the consultative aspects of the functions of the ECOWAS National Units so as to ensure connection with the citizens of Member States in the implementation of ECOWAS Agreements at the national levels, in line with the spirit of the ECOWAS Vision 2050; civil society and media should embark on peace missions to consult key stakeholders in the affected countries to provide support towards quick return to constitutional democracy; ECOWAS, civil society and media should demand for quick, transparent, inclusive, free, fair and credible election in Senegal as earlier scheduled. They should also condemn the arbitrary arrest and banning of political opposition from contesting the election; and after successful resolution with the aggrieved countries, ECOWAS should support the member countries to strengthen their capacity in responding to present and emerging threats including activation of early warning and response capabilities.

The CSOs and media organisations that signed the communique include; Kop’ep Dabugat – West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF); Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) – Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Solomon Adoga – Transition Monitoring (TMG); Patience Ikpeh-Obaulo – West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Nigeria); Ayo Adebusoye – Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGOs); Sina Odugbemi – Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA); and Ezeobi Chiemelie – Thisday Newspaper.

CSOs, Medıa Organisations, Urge Malı Burkına Faso, And Niger Juntas To Refrain From Transforming To Civilian Rulers, Call for Dialogue Against Withdrawal from ECOWAS

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with other security elements, have repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Mayo Ladde village in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa.

The attack occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on Friday in Mayo Ladde, a border community linking Askira/Uba Local Government Area and the Sambisa Forest axis of Borno.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that troops supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), swiftly responded to a distress call on the attempted incursion.

“The terrorists attempted to attack the village but were decisively engaged by the troops, who repelled them and forced them to retreat,” the source said.

According to the sources, no casualty was recorded during the incident, as residents of the village had fled the area before the arrival of the terrorists.

The source added that troops had intensified patrols and surveillance in the general area and along the border communities to forestall further attacks and deny the terrorists freedom of movement.

Operation Hadin Kai reiterated its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements to ensure the safety of lives and property in the North-East.

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa

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BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri

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BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The general manager of the Borno State Traffic Management Agency (BOTMA), Eng. Baba Tijani, has said that his agency will not tolerate “underaged” kids driving keke napep in Maiduguri and environs.

The GM warned that the brazen display of wrongdoing by Keke Napep was becoming alarming, especially with lots of underage kids being caught committing such crimes.

The Borno traffic management agency boss vowed to bring owners of such erring Keke napeps to book to check their reckless behavior on the streets of the Maiduguri metropolis and beyond.

Tijani, who spoke exclusively during the 2025 Federal Road Safety Corp RS12.2 Borno special marshals sectoral workshop, said that his management is aware of the dangerous excesses of the Keke Napep riders in the town and has never taken it lightly with them.

“I can assure you that we have details of all the excesses of the Keke Napep drivers in the city, and we are not joking with them. As long as we have their details, we can trace and deal with them, and the rest is history.

“I can assure you that there is no keke that is not registered by us regardless of their high numbers. For as long as they are registered in our data bank, we know how to trace them. Even if the keke is used for robbery, I assure you, we know how to sanction them for as long as they are within the state.

“By the way, it is not true that we are not capable of handling them in spite of their numbers and the enormous nature of their offenses. We do not overlook the misdemeanor of Keke Napep drivers in Maiduguri no matter how small they are.”

He told this reporter that under his watch kids who are under 18 were totally forbidden from driving keke napeps in Maiduguri metropolis, adding that residents should also avoid such keke napeps because they are obviously a death trap for commuters.

Eng. Tijani stressed that unless drivers are 18 years or above, they are not permitted to drive a keke napep in the entire Borno state, adding that only stable adults are registered as drivers of napep in their data bank used to sanction erring ones.

Tijani noted that for the remaining part of the year, his men will monitor the main roads in the metropolis thoroughly during the yuletide period to force the napep boys to conform to expected norms and behavioral patterns.

On staff strength, he added that the agency has been making use of what it has, hinting that “we have over 300 personnel in MMC and Jere alone, and we are trying to do our best with what we have even with the confusion at the Custom and Gamboru axis of the town.”

“We are aware of the challenges in many areas, and we believe that very soon the customs area will be handled. We are aware that the area is heavily congested in terms of traffic because the tunnel from one side to the other is not used, but I wish to assure commuters that all this will become history soon.

On the misbehavior of some of his staff, he noted that checks and balances have been placed within the system by management, adding that their provost marshals in white caps are out to oversee the erring staff and will send feedback to us on the next step.

Eng. Tijani called on the general public to cooperate with him and his management team by reporting erring marshals as and when wrongs were committed, adding that as soon as they are reported, action will be taken against such officials.

To press his point home, the GM revealed that about 30 erring marshals have been sacked so far from the agency, stressing that management does not drop their guards when it concerns portraying them in a bad light.

Speaking on the welfare of his staff, the GM agreed that there was an urgent need to boost the salaries of his marshals, as they are quite lower than the current minimum package.

He, however, announced that he was not leaning on his oars concerning their welfare because the matter has been tabled before the executive, and the governor is about to work on it, thereby taking care of his people.

Tijani regretted that they do not have a board that would assist them in putting their challenges on the front burner but is grateful to the media for doing justice to the plight of his people.

BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri

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Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto

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Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto

By: Our Reporter

Residents of Jabu village in Sokoto state, Northwest Nigeria reported that there are no casualties following US bomb that rock the village on Christmas Day targeting bandits terrorists.

A video surface Monday morning showing some residents carrying heavy metal, which is said to be the bomb shell fired by US into the area.

Although there are no official comments yet to what happened in the Northwest, some residents believed that some targeted areas may have yielded most results.

NEWSng observed that following the reported US military targets on terrorists enclaves in the Northwest, top islamic clerics and certain individuals known to be marking comments in defense of the bandits and Fulani militias activities have been usually quiet.

When ABC NEWS contacted few clerics to speak on the attacks, they decline comments stating that they are also waiting to hear what the government would say with regard to the claimed by US President Trump.

“This involve US and Nigeria. I also heard but I was not there not can establish facts to what happened on Christmas Day in Sokoto. ” One of the cleric, who pleaded not to be mentioned in print said.

Another clerics, Malam Usman Tukur simply said “No comments.”

Also another who refuses to speak at all holds his lips in declining comments.

Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto

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