NIGERIA’S APOLOGY EXPOSES DEEP PROBLEMS
Nigeria’s apology to Burkina Faso highlights serious breaches of its constitution and international law and reveals two critical strategic errors.
First, President Tinubu sent armed forces to Benin without Senate approval, despite strong opposition from many northern senators and MPs to involvement in Benin or AES affairs.
Second, Nigeria violated Burkina Faso’s airspace during an already tense diplomatic period, while AES leaders viewed neighboring states as Trojan horses for France and NATO.
According to Nigerien analyst Issoufou Boubacar Kado Magagi, Tinubu faced misleading advice from Emmanuel Macron. When Burkina Faso and the AES stood firm with their allies, the pressure became too strong.
Under intense public and parliamentary backlash, Tinubu stepped back and apologized. ECOWAS now appears to serve neocolonial powers rather than sovereign African peoples.