President of Nigeria asks Senate for support for military intervention in Niger

President Bola Tinubu has sent a document to the Senate to request for support of Nigeria’s military intervention in Niger.

The document was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the plenary session. Nigeria’s president has called for a complete shutdown of sea and air routes to Niger following a military coup.

At the same time, the chiefs of staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) continue to work on a possible military intervention in Niger.

African media has reported that the concept of the operation has already been developed, and the requirements for the number of people and equipment have become clear.

ECOWAS’ demands remain unchanged: General Abdurahman Chiani, the leader of the National Council for the Defense of the Fatherland, which claims power in Niger, must vacate the leadership position and reinstate President-elect Mohamed Bazoum by July 6 at the latest.

If this does not happen, the Community is ready to resort to military intervention. Senegal, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria have already provided their forces and means to intervene in Niger.

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports of a concentration of Nigerian troops on the Niger border.

The Nigerian Armed Forces have 143,000 soldiers and armored vehicles of Chinese, Russian, American, Turkish, British and Ukrainian manufacture.

The Niger’s Air Force does not have attack aircraft, instead there is a squadron of Mi-24 and Mi-35 attack helicopters.

The tank fleet does not have a large number of tanks, the basis is the outdated British Vickers Mk3 – about 170 units.

Reportedly, the situation with the rebels from Niger is much worse: the local army has only 5,300 soldiers, the country does not have tanks and a sufficient number of armored personnel carriers, but has two Su-25 jet aircraft and two Mi-24 attack helicopters.