"The ACF recalls the tension that arose following the military coup in Niger in July 2023."
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has lauded President Bola Tinubu for authorising the recent visit to the Republic of Niger by a high-ranking Nigerian military delegation led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa.
This is contained in a statement released on Sunday in Kaduna by Tanko Muhammad-Baba, the ACF's national publicity secretary.
According to the ACF, the visit signifies a positive shift in the relationship between Nigeria and Niger, which had been strained over the past year.
"The forum views this diplomatic engagement as a crucial step towards restoring the historically close and warm ties between the two West African neighbours.
"The ACF recalls the tension that arose following the military coup in Niger in July 2023," the ACF said.
According to the statement, in response, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Niger's membership and imposed a series of sanctions, with Nigeria playing a leading role by closing its borders, imposing economic restrictions, cutting off essential supplies, and threatening military intervention.
The ACF said that as the situation evolved, both ECOWAS and Nigeria opted for dialogue with the new Nigerien military regime.
"During this period, Niger forged new alliances with other West African nations such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea, and withdrew its forces from the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) combating terrorism in Northeast Nigeria" it said.
This, the forum recalled, led to a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Niger.
The forum praised Mr Musa's bold and patriotic remarks during the visit, describing them as a signal of strength in the pursuit of fraternal African solidarity.
The ACF urged the government and people of Niger to let bygones be bygones and work towards a renewed partnership with Nigeria.
NAN reports that the visit sought to encourage the military junta in charge of Niger Republic to renew ties with countries in the West African bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) since the bloodless coup in 2023 that led to a military takeover of power in the country.
Mr Musa, and the Chief of Staff of the Nigerien Armed Forces, Moussa Barmou, signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen regional security.
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The Director of Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, said they signed the agreement on Wednesday in Niamey, Republic of Niger.
He said the agreement aims to forge a common goal towards deepening the fraternal bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Niger and exploring opportunities to enhance security cooperation.
He said both parties, during the meeting, recognised the importance of sustained dialogue and collaboration in addressing mutual security challenges and strengthening the strategic partnership between Nigeria and Niger.
"They emphasised the need for maintaining and expanding existing cooperations, including joint military operations, intelligence sharing, and tactical coordination," he said.
Mr Gusau said the defence chiefs acknowledged the significant impact of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons on security, adding that the widespread accessibility of these weapons contributes to heightened instability and conflict in the region.
"They further agreed to intensify their efforts in curbing the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons while pledging to collaborate on initiatives to enhance border security and support regional and international efforts to control and reduce the spread of these weapons."
(NAN)
