The Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECOWAS, Ambassador Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah says the bloc does not need an extremely huge number of forces to undertake its military intervention actions in Niger.

According to him, suggestions that the bloc needs around 50,000 forces to carry out its actions are mere speculations. ECOWAS has its "concrete figure" but he would not disclose it due to security reasons, he added.

He however indicated that the figure is far lesser than the speculated numbers.

"That is speculation. We have our concrete figure but I won't disclose it. It is far far less than what is being said. Niger force strength is about 13,000.

"We don't need up to 50,000 troops to go and confront 13,000," he said on Newsfile on Saturday.

Furthermore, speaking on the bloc's source of funding for such an operation, Dr Musah clarified that the ECOWAS has been known for generating its own funds and does not rely on foreign aid, especially Western support as the story is in the public.

"ECOWAS is the organisation in Africa that almost 80% funds its own activities from the community levy. The AU (African Union) is less than about 30%. So ECOWAS is very unique in that area," he said.

According to him, their military intervention will be self-funded.

He said the operation will be funded even "if it means increasing the community levy by a fraction of a percentage to raise that money."

"We are going to do it," he reiterated.

Meanwhile, an expert, Professor Kwesi Aning says he is certain the said military intervention will not happen.

He says the intervention will not happen because the bloc itself is facing credibility challenges and therefore would need to reverse its steps in order to regain "parts of its credibility."

"Let me repeat it; the attack will not happen. You know yourself the number of times I've predicted coup d'états that have come through. So this is about forecasting and risk analysis and risk assessment.

"The intervention will not happen because ECOWAS needs to reverse or retract its steps to get parts of its credibility back," he told Newsfile host, Sampson Anyenini