Deploying troops to Niger: Are you mad? – Kwesi Pratt asks ECOWAS

Respected Ghanaian journalist and managing editor at the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has kicked against plans by the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Ahmed Tinubu, to deploy West African soldiers into Niger to fight to reinstate deposed President Mohammed Bazuom.

He wondered why the leaders of these countries have allowed terrorists like Boko Haram to wreak havoc in Nigeria, and insurgents to attack several of their countries without a coordinated deployment of troops but have only chosen to endanger the lives of soldiers so as to restore an overthrown President back to power.

He wondered whether the West African leaders are making such out of soundness of mind given the problems that plague the community and have they have failed to tackle them head-on.

He singled out President Ahmed Tinubu for criticism for leading ECOWAS to even contemplate such a decision given how Boko Haram terrorists have succeeded in ravaging parts of the country.

“You cannot fight Boko Haram. You’ve allowed your citizens to be kidnapped, to be killed, to be molested. Your villages have been ransacked by Boko Haram.

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 hold a meeting in Abuja to prepare to go to wage war on Niger? What are you taking the people of Nigeria for? Are you mad? Are you crazy?” he quizzed.

Mr. Pratt is optimistic that soldiers of ECOWAS will not allow themselves to be used to fight a needless war and will refuse to be deployed into Niger.