A Nigerian senator has called on the government to prepare for military action against Burkina Faso to secure the release of 11 Nigerian soldiers detained there. This hawkish stance comes amid tense diplomatic efforts to resolve the incident, which both sides describe very differently, and risks inflaming regional tensions between Nigeria and a new alliance of West African states. The Call to Arms The call for a potential military response was made by Senator Ayodele Arise, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress. In an interview on Arise TV, he urged President Bola Tinubu to consider using military pressure, arguing that Nigeria should not rule out force if diplomacy fails. He contended that Nigeria must protect its sovereignty and make it clear that its military personnel "cannot be detained without consequences," stating that "good neighbourliness should not be mistaken for weakness". Senator Arise referenced a historical milit...
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