Executive Director for the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Chukwuemeka Eze, has raised concerns about the possibility of more military takeovers in Africa if the ongoing situation in Niger is not effectively addressed.

The warning comes as tensions continue to rise in the West African nation.

Mr Eze in an interview on JoyNews, emphasised the urgent need for swift and comprehensive action to prevent the situation from escalating further, stressing that the potential fallout from the situation could have far-reaching implications for the stability of the region.

“We did our analysis and we felt that there could be two more [situations] if nothing is done in Niger and that’s not a trajectory that we want to go again. This is becoming very very very worrisome,” he added.

Niger, a landlocked country in West Africa, has been grappling with political turmoil in recent months. The concerns stem from a combination of factors, including political dissent, economic challenges, and social unrest.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has intervened in the situation and has ordered ‘immediate activation’ of the standby force in Niger to restore democracy.

Speaking on the development, the security analyst entreated ECOWAS to take decisive action in handling the crisis.

“I think the fundamentals for me is whether there’s an existing protocol that forbids the coup d’etat in West Africa and whether these countries actually have ascribe to it through their national government,” he said.

“The fact that we did not act in Burkina or Mali the way we should act, also tells me that lessons are being learnt,” he added.

The analyst's earlier prediction hinges on the notion that if the situation in Niger is not adequately addressed, it could serve as a precedent for similar events in other parts of the African continent. Military takeovers have historically been a concern in various African nations, and the analyst's warning underscores the need for regional and international stakeholders to engage diplomatically and collaboratively to mitigate the risk.

The stability of African countries is crucial not only for their citizens but also for regional peace and security. The analyst's warning serves as a call to action for leaders, diplomats, and international organizations to work together to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Niger.