The Director of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Professor Kwesi Aning, says ECOWAS’s decision to intervene in the Niger Coup with military force may encounter some challenges.

He said a number of processes ought to be activated before the implementation of such a decision.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 12, Professor Aning said the move will face significant opposition. 

He thus cautioned ECOWAS to tread cautiously, adding that any wrong move will have dire consequences. 

“The decision is just a decision but its implementation is likely going to face an umbrella of challenges and one of the challenges I think we need to avert our minds to is the question of obtaining the Security Council sanction because it falls within the framework of Chapter 7 use of force within the UN Charter,” he told sit-in host, Evans Mensah. 

West African nations have approved armed intervention in Niger “as soon as possible”, the Ivory Coast president says, following a meeting to discuss the coup.

At the meeting, leaders of the Ecowas regional bloc said they had agreed to deploy a “standby” military force.

However, they have not given any details of the size of the force.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu said the use of force would be a “last resort.”

A military junta seized power in Niger on July 26.

After the Ecowas meeting, Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara said Ecowas had intervened in African countries in order to restore constitutional order before.

“Today, we have a similar situation in Niger, and I like to say that Ecowas cannot accept this,” he said.

Mr Ouattara said the Ivory Coast would provide a battalion of 850 to 1,100 men, and said soldiers from Nigeria and Benin would also be deployed.

Currently, the Chiefs of Defense Staffs of ECOWAS member states are meeting in Accra to strategise on the line of attack.