Politics
War Drums: Russian Mercenaries Arrive Mali
The drums of war that started beating since the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) signaled intention of deploying military force to restore democracy in Niger Republic has assumed another dimension with the arrival in Mali of armed soldiers from Russian mercenary group, Wagner.
Mali, herself, under military regime had declared loyalty to the coupists in Niger Republic, together with their Burkina Faso counterparts.
The berthing of the fully armed mercenaries with a cache of ammunition, just days after Leader, Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was seen in full army regalia, in a video believed to have been made somewhere in Africa, is sending jitters down the spines of the civilian population in the West African sub-region.
International media sources averred that Prigozhin had posited that the presence of his men in Mali was to help the military government of that country clamp down on terrorists and “any other interest”.
The phrase ‘any other interest’ is now subject of various interpretations across the sub-region, given that the military rulers of Mali had declared interest in backing their counterparts in Niger Republic.
Both countries had openly dissociated themselves from the positions of both the ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) following the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
However, the ECOWAS’ Envoy to Niger Republic, Nigeria’s Abdulsalami Abubakar, a retired general and former head of state has expressed the opinion that the situation wasn’t likely to deteriorate.
He bared his mind to media men at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS.
It was gathered that President, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, also attended the meeting.
Gen. Abdulsalami, explained that he took advantage of his meeting with Bazoum and the coupists over the weekend to share ECOWAS’ position, while he had also delivered the peace terms proposed by the junta to sub-regional body.
The lines of dialogue and diplomacy having been effectively opened and alive point to his appointment as envoy bearing good fruits, the retired general highlighted.
Gen. Abudulsalami said, “The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have made me an envoy to Niger Republic.
“We were there over the weekend to see the military people and discussed how to find a way out of the situation.
“That’s why I’m here, together with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, to report back to Mr. President on our discussions in Niger.
“I must say that our visit to Niger was very fruitful. It has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we’ll get somewhere.”
All these are happening while Mali and Burkina Faso, both members of ECOWAS, having pledged to support the military rulers in Niger Republic, already sent troops to Niamey as a backup to the Niger military.
On its part, ECOWAS has rejected the three-year transition plan hinted by Nigerien coup leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani, insisting on the use of force should dialogue fail.
The coupists are also not showing any signs of shifting grounds, and with international backing tending to be swelling in their favaour, the civil population in West Africa have cause to worry.
One of the voices of concern is former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, who called for caution, noting that firing of ammunition in Niger Republic would amount to a civil war within the WA sub-region.
According to E-Rufai, who made his positon on his verified X handle, @elrufai, sent clear caution signals to ECOWAS leaders against application of military force in the bid to restore constitutional governance in Niger Republic.
He cited the bloodlines flowing across the various divides of the geographical entities that constitute the WA sub-region and expressed his detesting any form of ‘brothers-in-arms’, which would have dire and unforeseen consequences.
He maintained that people of the Niger Republic were “one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria,” indeed.
El-Rufai tweeted, “As ECOWAS beats the drums of war, I recall the 1970s rock classic by Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms’, because a war within our sub-region is a war between brothers.
“Indeed, the people of Niger Republic are one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria.
“Let us bend therefore over backwards to avoid this civil war between brothers.”
What makes this new dimension extreme is insinuations at the global stage that the coupists had the support Russia from the get-go.
They had also called for help from the Wagner Group, which Prigozhin assured he would offer.
According to a former Russian official, Wagner and the Russian state conspired to facilitate the military coup in the landlocked WA country.
“The recent coup in Niger was carried out in close cooperation with Russian special services and Private Military Company (PMC) consultants,” claimed Russian military blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk, a former press officer for Russia’s defence ministry, who uses the alias “Rybar”.
However, in the midst of the dramatics on the international stage, the civil population in Niger Republic were said to be rallying round their coupists, as video footages seen online suggest.
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, had also counselled President Tinubu and ECOWAS to explore diplomatic options for the resolution of the constitutional crisis in Niger Republic.
Similarly, the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) had also urged President Tinubu to exhaust all diplomatic options first.
Like El-Rufai, the NSF are concerned that deploying troops to Niger would not just dangerously expose, but hurt seven northern states, including, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno, all of whom who share borders Nigeria’s northern neighbours.
Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to lead the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Stanley Nkwocha disclosed this in a statement released on Monday, announcing the Vice President’s visit to Ebonyi State for the campaign rally.
The rally is scheduled to take place at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, as part of the APC’s campaign activities under the Renewed Hope agenda.
SEE ALSO: 2027: Shettima Arrives in Uyo for APC Presidential Campaign Rally
The announcement called on residents and party supporters to turn out in large numbers to welcome the Vice President, describing the event as an opportunity for massive political mobilisation.
“One city. Thousands of voices. An atmosphere of incredible energy,” the statement said.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned the judiciary against allowing itself to be used to undermine democracy following the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The party expressed concern that the judgment, alongside other recent court decisions involving opposition parties, could weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and restrict political participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
SEE ALSO: APC Pressuring Hotels to Deny Opposition Parties Venues – NDC Raises Alarm
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, Esq. On Friday, the NDC said the manner in which some judgments, particularly those emanating from High Courts, were being delivered raised concerns about a possible attempt to exclude the ADC from the forthcoming elections.
While acknowledging the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, the party warned that court decisions capable of weakening opposition parties could create the impression that the judicial system was being used to frustrate democratic competition.
“The way some of these judgements are being churned out, especially from the High Courts suggests a deliberate effort to shut out the ADC from the forthcoming general elections by other means,” the statement read.
The NDC further argued that such developments could shrink the space for multi-party democracy, which it said was already facing significant threats under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party consequently urged the judiciary to safeguard its independence, impartiality and integrity, stressing the need to protect public confidence in the institution.
It also called on the ADC to appeal the judgment without delay, urging the appellate court to grant an accelerated hearing to ensure the leadership dispute does not linger ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the NDC, resolving the matter promptly would prevent uncertainty from undermining democratic participation and the ability of political parties to prepare for the forthcoming polls.
The party concluded its statement with the declaration: “A New Nigeria is Possible!”
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly pressuring hotels in Abuja to deny the opposition party access to their facilities, describing the development as an attempt to undermine democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party raised the allegation in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director on Thursday, who expressed concern over what it described as increasing attempts to restrict the democratic space and silence opposition voices.
According to the NDC, it has faced not only alleged violent attacks by agents of the ruling APC but also discrimination from hotels and hospitality businesses in Abuja.
SEE ALSO: Two Suspected Political Thugs Killed After Attacking NDC Candidate’s Convoy in Ebonyi
The party specifically accused Rockview Hotel of cancelling agreements to provide facilities for its meetings on two separate occasions.
The first incident, according to the statement, occurred in June 2026 when the hotel allegedly withdrew its agreement to host the party’s second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting shortly before the scheduled event.
The NDC claimed that the hotel recently rejected another request to use its facilities for a meeting, allegedly informing the party that the decision came through an “order from above.”
The party also accused BON Hotel in Wuse, Abuja, of refusing to provide its facilities for a meeting despite the NDC claiming it had fulfilled all the conditions required.
The statement further alleged that the unveiling of the party’s National Campaign Council (NCC) was nearly disrupted after its event venue initially asked the party to refund its payment, saying it was no longer interested in making its facilities available.
The NDC suggested that the decision might have resulted from alleged threats or instructions from influential quarters.
However, the party said its insistence on using the facility after making payment eventually compelled the hotel to honour the arrangement.
Describing the alleged incidents as a threat to democratic participation, the NDC called on the APC to allow opposition parties to operate freely and campaign without interference.
“This is not democracy. The APC should allow all parties to campaign without let or hindrance, and give Nigerians the opportunity to make their choice on who governs them,” the statement said.
The party also urged Nigerians and supporters of democracy to call out Rockview Hotel and BON Hotel over what it described as their “anti-people and anti-democratic actions.”
Reaffirming its commitment to national development, the NDC declared that Nigerians deserved better governance and insisted that it was prepared to serve with passion and patriotism.
“Nigerians deserve better, and NDC is prepared to serve with passion and patriotism,” the statement added.
The party concluded with its declaration that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
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