Veteran Ghanaian journalist and managing editor at the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, has slammed the decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), chaired by Nigerian President Ahmed Tinubu, to send troops in West Africa to Niger.
The Chiefs of Defense Staff met today, August 17, 2023, in Accra to decide on the deployment of standby soldiers into Niger to fight to reinstate ousted President Mohammed Bazoum.
Kwesi Pratt, however, claims that he does not see why Nigerian President Ahmed Tinubu would send troops to fight in Niger when Boko Haram continues to terrorize parts of Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview on Metro TV, monitored by 1Family Radio, the journalist stated that this decision by the leaders of the ECOWAS was reckless.
“This Nigerian president Tinubu, you have the Boko Haran insurgency on land. You can’t fight Boko Haram, and you’re going to Niger to fight.’’
“This decision to fight is senseless, it is reckless, and it has no benefit for the people of West Africa. It has no benefit even for the heads of state,’’ he said.
“These heads of state are frightened to the marrow. They are mismanaging their countries the same way that this guy in Niger mismanaged his country. They are mismanaging their countries the same way the Malian president mismanaged his country.’’
“You can’t deal with Boko Haram; you’re going to move your soldiers to Niger to go and fight to restore the President of Niger? Are you crazy? You ran away from Boko Haram. You held a meeting in Abuja to prepare to go to wage war in Niger? What are you taking the people of Nigeria for? Are you mad? Are you crazy?’’ he asked.
Source: 1Familyradio