Mentioned this on @AnthonyEhilebo's space a few weeks back, but it bears repeating.
I spoke to someone with links to the EU delegation to Africa in March and I asked "why is the international community acting as if Buhari has their nudes? Why are they cowering?"
The answer was-
I spoke to someone with links to the EU delegation to Africa in March and I asked "why is the international community acting as if Buhari has their nudes? Why are they cowering?"
The answer was-
"They want stability. They're terrified of a fresh migrant crisis. Stability is the only thing they care about. If stability can only be achieved using the Agadez solution, they are willing to do it."
For those who don't know,m about Agadez, a short explainer:
For those who don't know,m about Agadez, a short explainer:
Agadez is an ancient Sahelian city in modern day Niger Republic, which marks the start of the the desert road to Libya, for West African migrants trying to (illegally) get to Europe by road.
The route is Agadez-Tripoli-Europe via a 120km Mediterranean crossing in a rubber dinghy
The route is Agadez-Tripoli-Europe via a 120km Mediterranean crossing in a rubber dinghy
EU pressure in 2015 led the Nigerién govt to pass an anti-trafficking law that basically blocked all transit from Agadez to the Sahara.
The EU singlehandedly funds this huge security operation to police Agadez and force illegal migrants to turn back. Human rights etc? Not even.
The EU singlehandedly funds this huge security operation to police Agadez and force illegal migrants to turn back. Human rights etc? Not even.
Essentially, what this source told me was that if the price of keeping millions of potential Nigerian migrants away from Libya and the Mediterranean crossing is to maintain "stability" by ANY means possible, the EU is willing to play ball.
And the Nigerian government is aware.
And the Nigerian government is aware.
The Nigerian government is essentially blackmailing the EU into silence by inferring that concerted international action against General Buhari's regime will result in a Nigerian civil war, which will lead to a swarm of Nigerians crossing the desert and trying to reach Europe.
The shores of the EU by the way, are also NATO shores - which makes such a potential refugee/security crisis America's problem too.
All of them are busy with COVID and the vaccination/reopening effort. None of them has any sympathy for us right now.
It's just Buhari vs us.
All of them are busy with COVID and the vaccination/reopening effort. None of them has any sympathy for us right now.
It's just Buhari vs us.
TLDR: The EU has different priorities in Nigeria to simply defending human rights right now. So do the UK and US.
We are on our own.
We are on our own.
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