Benin Coup attempt: Nigeria’s Internal Security challenges tied to wider regional crisis – FG

   Nigerias Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has issued a stark warning that the nations internal security challenges are fundamentally linked to the broader crises plaguing the West African region and the Sahel. Speaking at an ECOWAS ministerial briefing in Abuja, Tuggar stressed that instability in neighboring states, such as the recent attempted coup in the Benin Republic, directly fuels insecurity within Nigeria’s borders. Tuggar emphasized that Nigeria has a self-interest in intervening when democratic stability is threatened nearby, as the ripple effects are inevitable. Nigerias internal problems are inextricably linked to the external problems, he stated. So we would not be doing ourselves any good if Republic of Benin has a problem and we dont help in tackling it and tackling it decisively.The Minister detailed how the insecurity faced in Nigeria mirrors the wider dysfunction across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin. He argued that the crises are driven by conflicts, terrorism, and the continuous flow of weapons and fighters across porous borders, noting that the factors affecting Nigeria are “mostly exogenous.” Tuggar traced the current wave of terrorism and arms proliferation back to the 2011 collapse of Libya and the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi regime. He added that the problem is also tied to the ongoing conflict in the Sahel region, specifically mentioning the fight against terrorism in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He cautioned against misinterpreting conflicts within Nigeria as solely religious or ethnic. He explained that the same conflict dynamics seen in Sahelian states and the Lake Chad area are continuous and move across Nigeria. When you see conflict happening in Zamfara, in Katsina, in Sokoto, in Kebi, it moves down to Benue for instance and only then is it framed as a religious conflict. Its not because its the same conflict that is happening in Katsina that is happening in Benue and that is happening also in the Sahelian states and the Lake Chad, Tuggar explained.  The situation was exacerbated, he noted, when the change of government in Niger led the country to opt out of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which had been effective in combating Boko Haram. Tuggar stressed that Nigeria cannot afford to ignore instability in the Benin Republic, describing it as one of Nigerias closest and most strategic neighbors, particularly to the west. With existing security issues to the north and northeast, the Minister questioned, why would we sit by and not participate?  The Minister concluded by emphasizing Nigerias long-standing leadership role in regional stability and warned that delayed responses to regional crises can be dangerous.  He highlighted the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration to strengthening democratic transitions through the creation of the Regional Partnership for Democracy, advocating for a model of democracy in Africa that genuinely reflects local realities. The post Benin Coup attempt: Nigerias Internal Security challenges tied to wider regional crisis – FG appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.