A former special assistant to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has added his voice to the voices of those who have condemned the failed coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau. In a post he made on his official Instagram handle, the author of many books, opined that the coups in West Africa was becoming disturbing.
“First Mali, then Burkina Faso, and now Guinea Bissau. The spate of coups in West Africa is becoming disturbing. It starts as a trickle, and may become a deluge, with a domino effect if we do nothing. I urge West African leaders to consider doing what Obasanjo did when there was a coup in São Tomé and Príncipe. If not, they themselves may not be safe in the future. This is an evil wind that will blow no one any good. As bad as some so-called civilian governments can be, for example, the Buhari led junta, they are still far better than a military regime. A stitch in time is required here. Just suspending these illegitimate regimes from ECOWAS and The AU is simply not enough!” Reno Omokri posted.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2003, after a coup ousted then president of Sao Tome and Principle, Fradique de Menezes, in July, had pledged to work quickly to conclude a military pact with the island state of Sao Tome and Principe, as a way of strengthening ties between Nigeria and Sao Tome, and to consolidate the security of de Menezes, who was visiting the Nigerian capital Abuja at the time he was overthrown by military officers complaining about poverty in the twin-island state and corruption in its government.
The Witnessngr recalls that the president of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Embaló , on Wednesday, said he survived a coup attempt after being under heavy gunfire for five hours. He said the attackers tried to kill him and his entire cabinet at the government palace. Sadly, he disclosed many others had been killed in the fighting on both sides. Local media however reported at least six deaths – four attackers and two guards.
The attackers were linked to drug trafficking in the country, he said, without providing further details.