Foremost human rights group, One Love Foundation has condemned the plan of Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) over its plans to use millitary force Against the military junta administration of Niger Republic.
In a related development, fiery young human rights lawyer, Samuel Ihensekhien Jnr has joined the Chairman of One Love Foundation in the condemnation.
To this end, the duo have threatened to drag the regional organisation ansany other country that joins the attack to court.
The statement, made available to Jungle-Journalist.Com read in part:
, a foremost human rights organisation in africa committed to truth, public interest issues, and securing justice for all defenceless citizens in africa.
“Today, our team informed us that the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has ordered its standby millitary force to restore constitutional order in NIger Republic through deployment of troops to the country.
“ECOWAS said all efforts made to dialogue with Niger Republic military junta have been defiantly rejected by coup leaders as they condemn the continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.
“Our team further discovered from print media that an ECOWAS resolution was partly passed and read to the effect and further direction that the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff of ECOWAS to activate the ECOWAS stand-by force with all its elements immediately and hence ECOWAS has ordered the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force troops to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Ordinarily, we would not have reacted, but being one of the foremost public interest NGO in Africa, and operating with headquarters office within ECOWAS Union, we wish to draw the ECOWAS Union to
Article 53(1) of the UN Charter, which state that ECOWAS must approach and secure the UN Security Council’s approval before attacking a sovereign state.
“Article 53(1) of UN Charter further says “The Security Council shall, where appropriate, utilize such regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under its authority.
“And no enforcement action shall be taken under regional arrangements or by regional agencies without the authorization of the Security Council.”
“In this regard, we are fully aware that no UN Security Council has been sought by ECOWAS before any resolution whatever on Niger Republic or deployment of troops to invade Niger Republic and hence it will be an abberation under our extant international laws for the ECOWAS Union to attack Niger in whatever form or disguise.
“Accordingly One Love Foundation has instructed its legal representative to test the law and drag ECOWAS Union to the African Court of Justice, in the event that the ECOWAS and its Defence Council take any preemptive and war like steps against Niger. We hope ECOWAS union is well guided.
Thank you everyone and God bless.