Sheik Abdulrahman Olanrewaju, the National Missioner of Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria has declared that the people of Niger Republic seemed to be elated with the military take-over in the country. The Cleric said this while featuring on a TV political program in Lagos, Nigeria.
It will be recalled that the head of Ansarudeen Society in Nigeria was part of the Cleric envoy that was granted the permission by President Tinubu of Nigeria and Chairman of ECOWAS to travel to the neighboring country of Niger to “engage the Military Junta”.
President Tinubu made the comment granting the official permission on Thursday 10th August at the second extraordinary summit of ECOWAS in Abuja.
While answering questions on the TV program on the experience of the cleric envoy in Niger, the notable cleric declared that the mood of the Nigerian people are good and there is sense of order in the country as things are going on normal.
On the reactions of the Niger citizens to the military take-over of government from former President Mohamed Bazoum, he stated that Niger people seemed to be happy. “Niger people are happy with military take-over”.
He added that “We heard the report of jubilation. Well, I do not know how to interpret that. But it is as plain as it seems. Perhaps, people were not happy with the regime that was toppled”.
He however also added that “This is by no means justifying military intervention in civil rule”. He then said that though they (the clerics) were talking with the military Junta, it does not mean that they had a prior knowledge of the coup.
According to him, the reason for the intervention is that the role of religious leaders is ensuring peaceful co-existence and dousing of tension.
We have the “Roles of de-escalation of tension”. Therefore, they (the clerics) “wanted to ensure that rather than war, we should talk, we should dialogue”.