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BREAKING: We’re moving in – ECOWAS military chiefs *10 countries vote for invasion
Military operation is at the doorsteps of Niger where a military junta, which took over power on July 26 is currently holding the reins of power after ousting Mohamed Bazoum, the civilian President, as military apparatchik of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), toed the same line with their leaders on Thursday.
The Authorities of the Heads of Government, the highest body of the sub-regional bloc, had on Thursday, last week, strengthened its decision for a military action to flush out the junta after the expiration of a one-week ultimatum to the military leaders to restore Bazoum to office expired without compliance.
On July 29, three days after the military struck, the ECOWAS Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had rallied the leaders to a meeting in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, where a rash of decisions was taken, including placing immediate sanctions, such as border closure, economic blockade, imposition of no-fly zone among others, to be followed with military action.
But undeterred, the junta reacted by snubbing the delegation sent by the body to hand over the demand and broker a possible truce, and instead, declaring the closure of its airspace and days later, threatened to put Bazoum on trial for high treason – an euphemism for the death penalty.
In what seems an escalation of the decision of sub-regional leaders, 10 of the 15 military chiefs of the various countries, were said to have voted to move in militarily to chase away the junta and restore constitutional power, an initiative, believed to have fallen on Nigeria, the largest donor country both financially and militarily.
At a meeting in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, the 10 countries on Thursday, were said to have expressed readiness to participate in a standby force should the need arises, a move meant to chase out the military under the leadership of Abdourahamane Tchiani, with the only dissenting voice being that of Cape Verde, outside countries under military rule.
ECOWAS commissioner, Abdel-Fatau Musah, was quoted to have said: “Let no one be in doubt if everything else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa…are ready to answer to the call of duty.
“By all means available, constitutional order will be restored in the country,” Musah told assembled defence Chiefs from member countries, listing past ECOWAS deployments in Gambia, and Liberia as examples of readiness.
Al Jazeera also quoted Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to have said, “Democracy is what we stand for and it’s what we encourage. The focus of our gathering is not simply to react to events, but to proactively chart a course that results in peace and promote stability.”
The presidential guards seized power from President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, making the ECOWAS to issue a one-week ultimatum to the military to restore the president or risk sanctions.
The military ignored the ECOWAS threats and vowed to resist foreign intervention.
In the same vein, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) bloc in Nigeria has endorsed the stand taken by both the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the political impasse.
The SADC in Nigeria made up of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, DR Congo, South Africa, Angola, Tanzania and Namibia threw its weight behind the actions taken so far by the continental body and the West African subregional bloc to force the military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani to hand over power back to President Mohamed Bazoum.
Speaking with journalists at Hope of Survival Ophanage Home, Abuja where the SADC donated food items to orphans as part of activities to mark the organisation’s anniversary, the High Commissioner of Namibia to Nigeria and the Dean of the SADC, H.E. Humphrey Geiseb, said the Southern Africa is part of the African Union and definitely concerned about the situations of coups as expressed by ECOWAS which is a regional body just like the Southern Africa Development Community, and equally by the African Union.
He said: “So, we are fully behind the statements and positions of ECOWAS and the African Union.”
Geiseb, while noting that Southern African region is mostly peaceful, as “we hold regular elections and democracy is very strong in our region,” said there is need for continuity of democracy everywhere on the continent.
Geiseb who led other envoys from SADC in Nigeria to the donation of the food items put at over N3 million, explained that the Southern Africa region is part of the African Union, stressing that whatever happens in other regions of the African continent indirectly affects SADC.
Speaking about the decision to visit the orphanage, he said the SADC wanted to provide succour to the orphans and also demonstrate the enduring friendship between the Southern African countries and the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said: “We came to celebrate with the orphanage here by making official donations.
“This is our way of honoring the Southern Africa Development Community as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria which has supported strongly the liberation struggle of Southern Africa.
“Today, our sub-continent is free and independent. Many of our countries can recall that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has strongly supported us during the dark days of colonialism.”
While commending the SADC for the gesture, Mrs. Ruth Ibrahim, proprietress of the orphanage home, said the gifts would go a long way in helping her to feed the 75 children under the care of the home.
She, however, called for assistance in paying the school fees of the children in the orphanage home, stressing that it had been difficult for the management to cope with the high cost of education in the country.
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Why Prominent Individuals Pay Premium for Online Credibility in the Digital Age – Ayobami Eruobami
As the global economy becomes increasingly digital, Eruobami Ayobami, Chairman of Erumedia Group & Charity Trust who also doubled as the founder of Pressford , has shared a bold perspective on the rising demand for online credibility and why individuals are now investing significantly to build it.
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Erumedia Group: Building the Narrative Behind Credibility
As a Public Relations, communications and media company, www.erumediagroup.com focuses on shaping the foundation of credibility helping individuals and organizations define, structure, and communicate their stories with clarity and authority.
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While narrative builds the core, Pressford plays a different role amplification.
As a press release distribution and digital PR platform, Pressford enables individuals and organizations to translate their credibility into verifiable public presence across media channels.
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The Business of Being Seen
Ayobami notes that the increasing willingness to pay for credibility is not driven by vanity, but by necessity.
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A Shift That Cannot Be Ignored
As digital ecosystems continue to shape human interaction and business decisions, Ayobami believes the importance of intentional credibility building will only grow stronger.
“The future belongs to individuals who understand that credibility is not accidental. It is designed, positioned, and distributed,” he concluded.
Eruobami Ayobami is a Professional Public Relations Executive, Media Entrepreneur, Personal Brandinf Expert and communications strategist.
He Chairs Erumedia Group and Charity Trust and Founded Pressford. His work focuses on helping individuals and organizations build, structure, and amplify their digital credibility.
From Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s former President, came a mild rebuke to Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, who in assessing the quality of his six-year tenure as Nigerian leader, all but dismissed him as “inexperienced.”
Atiku, a guest of Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS Television, last week, told his host that Jonathan was inexperienced, saying his tenure was marked by notable missteps.
“I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but also inexperienced, and I believe that contributed to his inability to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku, currently chasing the number one job the former President exited in 2015 for the seventh time, said.
But in a measured riposte at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria awards ceremony in Abuja on Monday, Jonathan, while acknowledging that he must have made some mistakes, argued that errors were inevitably with human beings as only God could be perfect,
Reacting to Atiku’s remarks, he told his audience: “So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young and probably that’s why he made mistakes.’
“If I made mistakes, yes, nobody who becomes a governor or a president will say you did not make mistakes. Even when you promote yourself to the level of a god, you become a deity.
“All human beings must make mistakes. I became president in 2010 at the age of 53. I left in 2015 at the age of 58, and they say I was too young. Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?
“I’m talking to diplomats, so I can say that during my period, I knew what I did for us to appear in the UN Security Council two times… If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process.”
Jonathan also spoke on regional affairs, warning that political instability remains a major obstacle to economic growth across West Africa. He stressed that without stable governance systems, meaningful development in the sub-region would remain elusive.
“We cannot progress economically if we are very unstable societies politically,” he said.
Jonathan noted that while the founders of ECOWAS envisioned strong economic cooperation, persistent political crises have hindered progress, particularly in enforcing democratic standards among member states.
“That means that ECOWAS must interfere with the internal affairs of the states, and the issue of sovereignty becomes a problem,” he said.
Jonathan urged leaders in the region to work collectively towards stability, saying, “The heads of states of ECOWAS must continue to work together and agree on concrete terms and make sure that the sub-region is politically stable.”
He added that economic integration efforts would falter without solid democratic institutions and called on Nigerian diplomats to properly document foreign policy experiences for future leaders.
Paying tribute to ECOWAS founders, including former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, Jonathan described the creation of the bloc in 1975 as a bold and necessary step toward regional unity and economic integration.
Gowon, who was also honoured at the event, recounted the origins of ECOWAS, linking its formation to post-war diplomatic engagements across West Africa.
According to him, “It was as a result of the various efforts of all Nigerians when we went through a very difficult period, and I had to go to the various countries to say thank you.”
He said discussions with regional leaders at the time led to a shared vision for broader cooperation.
“Why don’t we also think about having something that we can at least have in agreement for all of us when we are working together?” he said.
Gowon emphasised that ECOWAS was the product of collective effort rather than individual ambition, crediting government institutions and civil servants for its success.
“This would not have been possible without the support of all the staff of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development,” he stated.
He added that the recognition bestowed on him should be shared widely.
“The honour that is being done to me today should really go back to all the staff that worked so hard to make sure that this became a reality,” he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, Joe Keshi, highlighted the importance of honouring excellence in diplomacy, noting that the awards celebrate dedication and service to Nigeria and the continent.
“Diplomacy is one profession where success is often invisible, reflected not by news coverage, but by maintained stability, prevented conflicts, cultivated partnerships,” he said.
Keshi noted that the event coincides with the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, describing the organisation as “a bold experiment in regionalism,” and urged diplomats to adapt to evolving global challenges.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waheed Shaibu, also praised Gowon, describing him as a symbol of national unity and visionary leadership.
He said the recognition offers a chance to reflect on a legacy “defined by visionary leadership, courage, and unwavering commitment to the unity, stability, peace, and progress” of Nigeria.
Shaibu added that Gowon’s leadership reflected “patriotism, resilience, and a profound sense of duty,” while commending ARCAN for its continued contribution to diplomatic discourse and Nigeria’s global engagement.
After months of official hiatus, the Federal Government, on Tuesday finally got on the way with the trial of those fingered in the alleged plot to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through a coup, including Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum.
The move, which apart from the former Governor of Bayelsa State, came with the filing of a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the alleged plotters including Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired General in the Nigerian Army, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired Naval Captain, Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
Sylva, whose name surfaced as one of the plotters when the news first broke and believed to be the major financier of what would have led to another military government in Nigeria after the last ended in 1999, was listed as being at large – on the run.
The charge, filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accuses the defendants of offences ranging from alleged treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The Federal Government further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, but failed to alert authorities.
Furthermore, the defendants were also accused, according to the charge, of, while “knowing that a treasonable act was intended to be committed, did not give information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President… or a peace officer.”
They were also accused of failing to take preventive steps and “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence”.
Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges of conspiracy under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to the alleged plot “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.
The prosecution alleged deliberate suppression of intelligence, stating that the defendants “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable”.
Financially, several defendants were accused of handling funds linked to terrorism financing, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing”, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2m from a similar source.
According to the charge, Zekeri Umoru “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000″ and also retained an additional N8.8m suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of “the sum of N1,000,000, being part of proceeds of terrorism financing”.
Alleged Coup Plot, Protests
After the Federal Government cancelled the parade to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary on October 1, 2025, reports had claimed that the move was linked to an alleged coup attempt.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the claims, however, saying the parade cancellation had nothing to do with the alleged coup attempt.
In January 2026, the DHQ confirmed that there was an attempt to overthrow President Tinubu.
The DHQ Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said investigations showed some military personnel were involved in the alleged coup plot.
According to Uba, the officers have been detained and would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
Last month, families of the military officers detained over the alleged coup plot appealed to Tinubu to allow the suspects to be tried in an open court.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore protested alongside the detained officers’ families. They also asked for access to the alleged coup plotters.
Why Prominent Individuals Pay Premium for Online Credibility in the Digital Age – Ayobami Eruobami
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