Niger Coup: Professor Gyampo Rejects Proposal To Invade West African State With ECOWAS Military Force

• Professor Ransford Gyampo has joined the call for a planned invasion of Niger with ECOWAS troops to be shelved
• The political science professor at the University of Ghana, Legon, said military action could backfire because the Niger junta seem ready to fight back
• He also expressed concern about Russian and American interests in the region, which he said could turn the ECOWAS invasion into a proxy war between the two superpowers

Political science professor at the University of Ghana, Legon, Ransford Gyampo, has joined experts and CSOs pushing against the deployment of ECOWAS troops to Niger.

ECOWAS heads of state agreed recently that military action would be necessary to restore the West African country to constitutional order after President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted by the military last month.

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Joining the widespread call for ECOWAS to shelve the idea of a possible invasion, Prof Gyampo noted that apart from the readiness of the military junta in Niger to fight back, Russia's support for the junta could escalate the situation.

"Russia has an interest in providing para-military services to ward off terrorists in Niger for a fee. They are in full support of the current military junta.

"The Americans want their company Chevron to pass gas pipelines from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria for European consumption, a move to diversify European dependence on Russia gas. In fact, because of this plan 'Nordstrom' or 'Nordstream' pipeline from Russia to Europe was blown up in the ocean through sabotage with the Americans being prime suspects," he wrote in an article posted on Facebook.

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He said Russia will support the Niger junta especially when the latter even made it clear that they're halting the exportation of uranium to France.

West Africa could be caught in crossfire of a proxy war

Prof Gyampo also pressed concern that ECOWAS and its citizens could be caught in a crossfire of a potential proxy war, "where soldiers may be innocently massacred."

"Given that there is no unanimity on the use of military force in handling the crisis in Niger even among ECOWAS countries, we must interrogate the resolve to use soldiers rather than diplomacy critically and with some trepidation," he added.

He said African leaders who have government poorly are those pushing for an invasion to put fear in coup plotters in their own countries.

"Yes, no one must dream about coups, but the best antidote to coups isn’t the use of military force, it is good governance," he added.

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ECOWAS army chiefs say UN Security Council approval not needed to enter Niger

YEN.com.gh has reported that ECOWAS army chiefs, who met in Ghana for a summit to discuss how to invade Niger, say they do not need the approval of the UN Security Council to strike.

Head of ECOWAS' Commission on Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah said member states will use their own resources.

Meanwhile, security expert Col Festus Aboagye (rtd) has told YEN.com.gh that invasion is a bad idea because it could backfire.

Ghana Military band welcomes ECOWAS defence chiefs with popular Game Of Thrones soundtrack

In a related story, the popular soundtrack of the war-themed series Game Of Thrones was used to welcome ECOWAS Defence Chiefs who are in Accra to plan a possible invasion of Niger.

The video of the band blasting the soundtrack of the popular American series has sparked reactions online.

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The ECOWAS Defence Chiefs are taking part in a two-day summit on August 17 and 18, following a similar one held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Source: YEN.com.gh