The Kunle Blog.

The Russian Government has again taken a position regarding the political situation in Niger Republic wherein a military junta overthrew the government of President Mohamed Bazoum. The Russian government's position has always been that dialogue should be favoured by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the junta that ousted Bazoum early last month. But ECOWAS had imposed economic sanctions against the country while putting its regional army on standby for possible military action. The position of ECOWAS currently chaired by President Bola Tinubu is heavily supported by the United States government whose Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, recently commended the Nigerian government over its leadership of ECOWAS. But Russian president Vladimir Putin again warned against military intervention in Niger Republic during a phone call with Mali military junta's leader and Head of state, Colonel Assimi Goita. Goita, in a tweet on Tuesday, said Putin insisted on a

The Russian President, Vladmir Putin, has vowed to support any country that's determined to defend its national interest against the Western nations. Putin said Moscow would collaborate with any country in the area of technology. He stressed that Russia is determined to actively work on existing cooperative ties and also to create new relations based on its many years of successful experience in mutually beneficial partnerships In a cable message to the participants of the Army 2023 forum, Putin said: "Russia is open to deepening equal technological partnership and defence cooperation with other countries, i.e with all those who seek to protect their national interests and independent development path, and believe it is vital to make joint efforts to building a system of equality and indivisible security that would reliably protect every country." Putin's remark is coming when the military overthrew a democratically elected government in Niger Republic. There are repo

A group, the Concerned Citizens and some notable organisations yesterday kicked against the planned deployment of troops to restore civil authority in Niger. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff to immediately activate its standby force with all its elements. The decision came a few days after the Nigerian Senate reached a resolution rejecting the President Bola Tinubu- led ECOWAS to deploy troops to Nigeria, saying there was the need to explore a political solution to the crisis. However, hours after the declaration by ECOWAS, Niger's military junta said they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if neighbouring countries attempt any military intervention to restore his rule. Daily Mail quoted two Western officials as disclosing this to a top U.S. diplomat. According to the medium, a Western military official said representatives of the junta told US Under Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, of the t

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the chief of defense staff committee to immediately activate its standby force. President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, gave the order while reading the resolution taken at the Extraordinary meeting on the Niger coup in Abuja on Thursday. Daily Trust had reported how the leaders converged on Abuja to discuss its next line of action after the seven day ultimatum for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum elapsed without compliance from the junta. At its meeting, the regional bloc said all efforts to dialogue with Niger junta have been rejected by coup leaders. The ECOWAS leaders also condemned the continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members. "The Authority having considered the memorandum presented by the President of the ECOWAS commission on the current situation in the Republic of Niger, as well as ECOWAS engagement since the last extraordinary summit; and having considered the r