In what appears an aftermath of the coup d’état in Gabon, the Rwandan and Cameroonian authorities have rejigged the countries’ military hierarchy while the Nigeria military warned disloyal soldiers to quit service.
The reactions came at about a time the African Union (AU)’s Peace and Security Council was holding a meeting Thursday on the development in Gabon.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba was arrested by the General Brice Oligui Nguema-led presidential guard hours after Bongo won the third term during last Saturday’s general elections in the country.
The coup, which is the eighth in Africa in the last three years, came about a month after a similar one in the Republic of Niger during which President Mohamed Bazoum was also sacked and put under house arrest.
The wave of coups in West and Central Africa has become a source of concern to AU, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Central Africa’s political bloc-the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), all of which appear in a fix as to how to reverse the trend.
Rwanda
With about 24 hours after the development in Gabon, the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, approved the retirement of 12 generals and several other officers in a Tsunami-like style, as reported by News Times, a Rwandan national newspaper.
The publication stated that the retirements were announced, Wednesday, August 30, in a statement issued by Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).
Some of those that were compulsorily retired include two four-star generals, James Kabarebe and Fred Ibingira, two three-star generals, Charles Kayonga and Frank Mushyo Kamanzi.
Kabarebe and Kayonga have previously served as Chief of Defence Staff of RDF, while the other two have been service chiefs previously.
“The President has also approved the retirement of 83 senior officers, six junior officers and 86 senior noncommissioned officers, 678 whose contracts ended and 160 medical discharges,” the statement said.
Cameroon
And in Cameroon, 90-year-old President Paul Biya also reshuffled the military, putting new appointments in place.
This was contained in a statement signed by Biya, and being circulated on X, formerly known as Twitter. The statement was written in French, the country’s official language of communication.
The statement announced new appointments to the Controle Generale des Armees. The new controllers are Captain Ajeagah Njei Félix Colonel and Colonel Nguema Ondo Bertin Bourger.
Appointments were also made to the positions of Technical Advisers, Bureau Commissariat and Air Force Technical Inspector.
Nigerian Army warns
And from Nigeria came a warning from the military high command that it would not condone disloyalty of whatever kind from soldiers.
Handing down the warning Wednesday was General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major-General Mohammed Takuti Usman, while addressing the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Ogun state.
Usman ordered soldiers to remain loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the country and the constituted authority at all times.
He urged soldiers to be professional and exhibit total loyalty in how they carry out their responsibilities.
He said: “While we are looking at the challenges and how to solve them, you have to be disciplined soldiers; you have to be loyal soldiers.”
“When I mean loyalty, your loyalty must start with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who is the President. That is first, and then down the ladder.
“Loyalty to the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, down to your Brigade Commander. You have to be loyal. There is no room for soldiers that are not loyal to the constituted authority, no. If you are not going to be loyal, then, leave, go and do other work.
“But the Armed Forces cannot stand it if you are not loyal. Discipline, loyalty and top professionalism. We are bearing arms so that other people can sleep well and go about their normal activities. You also have to be hard working.
“If you go on any course, make sure you do your best and be among the best. Once you have all these, you will grow in this job,” said the army chief.
Niger junta orders French envoy’s expulsion
And from Niger came the report that the military rulers have withdrawn the French ambassador’s diplomatic immunity and ordered police to expel him, according to a letter seen Thursday by AFP.
The envoy “no longer enjoys the privileges and immunities attached to his status as member of the diplomatic personnel in the French Embassy,” according to their letter, dated Tuesday, to the Foreign Ministry in Paris.
“(His) diplomatic cards and visas and those of the members of his family have been cancelled. The police have been instructed to proceed to his expulsion,” it said.
Relations with France spiralled downwards after Paris stood by Bazoum and refused to recognise Niger’s new rulers.
On Friday, the authorities gave French envoy Sylvain Itte 48 hours to leave the country.
France refused the demand, saying that the government had no legal right to make such an order.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron singled out Itte for praise after he remained at his post.
French military spokesman Colonel Pierre Gaudilliere on Thursday warned that “the French military forces are ready to respond to any upturn in tension that could harm French diplomatic and military premises in Niger.”
“Measures have been taken to protect these premises,” he said.
Gabon copy cats – Tinubu
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said all diplomatic options would be exhausted with the military junta in Niger Republic before any last resort of military intervention comes into the picture.
Receiving members of the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, at the State House Abuja, the president insisted that any forceful removal of a democratic government remains “wholly unacceptable.”
He said the alternative of kinetic intervention in Niger Republic had not been jettisoned.
“I must thank you for your several visits to Niger Republic, Your Eminence, but you will still have to go back. My fear has been confirmed in Gabon that copy cats will start doing the same thing until it is stopped.
“We are neighbours with Niger Republic, and what has joined Nigerians together with their great people cannot be broken. Nobody is interested in a war. We have seen the devastation in Ukraine and Sudan. But, if we don’t wield the big stick, we will all suffer the consequences together,” he said.
Tinubu said Nigeria, under General Abdulsalami Abubakar, instituted a nine-month transition programme in 1998, and it proved very successful, leading the country into a new era of democratic governance.
The President said he sees no reason why such cannot be replicated in Niger, if the country’s military authorities were sincere.
“Your Eminence, please don’t get tired, you will still go back there. The soldiers’ action is unacceptable. The earlier they make positive adjustments, the quicker we will dial back the sanctions to alleviate the sufferings we are seeing in Niger,” the president said.
Atiku slams African leaders
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged African leaders to tackle the disease causing coups in Africa rather than the symptoms.
He said African leaders must put in efforts at sustaining democratic governance in Africa.
In a post on X Thursday, Atiku urged both the AU and ECOWAS to open channels for diplomatic engagement as a way out of the current political logjam in Niger and Gabon.
“The coup in Gabon stands condemned. Democracy and democratic governance have come to stay as a preferred form of government, and everything should be done to enthrone, nurture, and sustain it.ch
“As I suggested in the case of the Niger Republic, the ECOWAS and African Union authorities should open a window of diplomatic engagement that will pave the way for the soldiers to return to the barracks.
“The latest coup brings the number of military takeovers in Central and West Africa to 8 since 2020. This is worrisome and calls for introspection. We may have to focus on dealing with the disease and not the symptoms that birth coups,” Atiku wrote.
