A non-governmental organisation, One Love Foundation, has condemned the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) and other countries that are threatening to invade Niger Republic.
The organization has therefore threatened to drag the ECOWAS to Africa Court of Justice and ECOWAS Court.
In a message by the President of the organisation, Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor (aka Ultimate Equals), he stated that the organisation got information that “the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has ordered its standby military force to restore constitutional order in Niger Republic through deployment of troops.
“Our organisation being a foremost human rights organisation in Africa committed to truth, public interest issues, and securing justice for all defenceless citizens in Africa.
“And that ECOWAS said all efforts made to dialogue with Niger Republic military junta have been defiantly rejected by coup leaders as they condemn the continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.
“Our team further discovered through the mass media that an ECOWAS resolution was partly passed and read to the effect and further direction that the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff of ECOWAS will activate the ECOWAS stand-by force with all its elements immediately and hence the ECOWAS has ordered the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force troops to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
“Ordinarily, we would not have reacted, but being one of the foremost public interest groups in Africa, and operating with headquarters office within ECOWAS union. We wish to draw the attention of ECOWAS union to Article 53(1) of the UN Charter, which states that ECOWAS must approach and secure the UN Security Council’s approval before attacking a sovereign state.
“Article 53(1) of UN charter further says ‘the Security Council shall, where appropriate, utilize such regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under its authority.
“‘And no enforcement action shall be taken under regional arrangements or by regional agencies without the authorization of the Security Council.’
“In this regard, we are fully aware that no UN Security Council approval has been sought by ECOWAS before any resolution whatever on Niger Republic or deployment of troops to invade Niger Republic and hence it will be an abberation under our extant international laws for the ECOWAS Union to attack Niger Republic in whatever form or disguise.
“Accordingly, we have instructed our legal representative to test the law and drag ECOWAS Union to the Africa Court of Justice, in the event that the ECOWAS and its defence council take any pre-emptive and war-like steps against Niger Republic.
“We hope ECOWAS Union is well guided. Thank you everyone and God bless.”
Group challenges ECOWAS over threat to invade Niger
