Ayodele Arise, the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former senator from Ekiti North, has urged President Bola Tinubu to think about using force in Burkina Faso in order to free the 11 Nigerian troops who are being held there.
Although Nigeria’s military is overburdened with internal security operations, Arise stated on Arise TV on Saturday that a daring action might put pressure on the Burkinabe regime to free the troops.
Arise contended that history had demonstrated the efficacy of swift military intervention in such circumstances, citing Israel’s 1976 Entebbe Raid in Uganda.
“I think we should move and do something,” he remarked. In fact, since they are our neighbors, I have no doubt that the president there will reconsider once they learn that we wish to do that.
“Yes, we should be cordial with our neighbors, but we also need to let them know that they are not allowed to interfere with our nation.”
Additionally, Arise supported Nigeria’s military response to the recent coup attempt in the Republic of Benin, claiming that President Tinubu acted rationally even prior to publicly informing the National Assembly.
He denied allegations that the President had violated constitutional procedures, claiming that judgments on national security occasionally call for quick action.
His remarks were made the day after Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, acknowledged that the 11 Nigerian military members are still being held in Burkina Faso.
Tuggar stated that diplomatic efforts were being made to find a solution while speaking at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.
“We’re talking about how we can settle this delicate issue as soon as possible. Therefore, it’s being addressed diplomatically,” the minister stated.
Additionally, he made it clear that the Nigerian Air Force C-130 plane that touched down in Bobo Dioulasso, southwest Burkina Faso, had nothing to do with the Benin Republic coup.
However, the troops were arrested after Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, claimed the aircraft had breached national airspace restrictions and had not received the necessary clearance.
Arise commented on recent Senate screenings of ambassadorial nominees in addition to regional security, criticizing the practice of letting candidates “take a bow and go” without rigorous questioning.
“There are two ways to look at that,” he stated. Either the senators have read the candidates’ biographies, resumes, accomplishments, and contributions to the advancement of the country, or the president and security agencies have done an excellent job of investigating the candidates.
Being a senator does not guarantee that you are an expert, thus it is a learning process. Thus, there is no longer a chance to engage, inform people about their careers, or educate senators in general.
However, a lot of us would rather the Senate ask questions. Since Mr. President cannot personally know each nominee, let them defend their nomination. He will rely on the security report and the recommendations of his coworkers.
Hon. Dr. Philip “Okanga” Agbese, a transformative leader in Enone. Discover his achievements, community projects, and vision for 2027
