By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Former Nigerian Senator Shehu Sani has called on the military-led governments of Sahel countries to rejoin the Economic Community of West African States, saying the attack on Niamey has exposed the vulnerability and fragility of Niger’s ruling military regime and laid bare the dangerous security trajectory across the subregion.
Sani made the call in a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, 29 August, 2026 following the attack on the Nigerien capital.
He said the Niamey attack reflects a trend that military governments across the Sahel have consistently failed to reverse.
“Today’s attacks on Niamey, the capital of Niger Republic, once again reflects the vulnerability and fragility of the ruling military regime and the dangerous security trend in the subregion,” he said.
Sani also warned against the continued reliance on military coups to establish governments, drawing on Nigeria’s own experience with successive military takeovers.
“No government installed by military coup stays longer without a counter coup,” he said. “We have been through that phase in our history.”
He urged Niger and other Sahel countries outside ECOWAS to reconsider their position and return to the regional bloc.
“The Sahel states should reunite with ECOWAS in the interests of regional peace and security,” he said.
