The Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS)  Commission has “strongly’’ condemned the reported coup d etat in Mali and urged a return to constitutional government and peace in the country.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, ECOWAS Commission President, Desire Ouedraogo described the mutiny by troops within the Malian Armed Forces as “reprehensible.’’

The troops, who staged a mutiny  last week accused the government of not giving them enough arms to tackle a rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs.

“ECOWAS strongly condemns the misguided actions of the mutineers and warns that it will not condone any recourse to violence as a means of seeking redress.

“The Commission wishes to remind the military of its responsibility under the Constitution and to reiterate ECOWAS policy of “Zero Tolerance” for any attempt to obtain or maintain power by unconstitutional means,’’ Ouedraogo said.

The statement decried the growing violence in Mali, especially at a time when ECOWAS and other regional and international bodies were trying to seek a peaceful solution to the rebellion in the north of the country.

It said the mutiny came amidst “ongoing regional and international efforts to seek a peaceful solution to the rebellion in the north of the country.’’ According to ECOWAS, the mutiny came a day after a special ministerial session of the AU Peace and Security Council on the matter ended in Bamako.

The sub-regional body said it would continue to closely monitor developments in that country with a view to restoring peace and constitutionality to Mali.

Also condemning the coup, Rep. Nnenna Ukeje (PDP-Abia), the Chairman of House Committee on Foreign Affairs, described militarycoups as “a crime against humanity.’’ Ukeje said Nigeria would respond appropriately to the incident in Mali “in line with its foreign policy’’.

She urged Nigeria and other ECOWAS member countries to strongly guard against a recurrence in neighbouring countries. The lawmaker expressed concern that the sub-region might not completely rule out such insurgencies “until democracy becomes a way of life and is woven into the psyche of every African.’’

“What we need to do is to continue to ensure that people rise against it (military coups). “ It behoves the people to get it woven into their psyche that it’s the people’s power to choose their leaders.

“People will always try (military coups) but it is what you do when they try that will discourage others,’’ Ukeje said.

Dr Sadiq Abubakar, an international relations expert, advised the Nigerian government to observe closely the unfolding events in Mali.

Abubakar noted that the immediate reason provided by the Malian troops for intervening was the inability of the government to fight terrorism.

“Apparently, I do not think that the Nigeria populace or military is ready for any military intervention now.

“But when a political leadership has not developed an effective means to deal with the kind of situation like terrorism, insurgencies and so forth, then it becomes a matter for concern.

“And if at the same time it is not in tandem with the thinking of its military hierarchy on how to deal with the situation, then this kind of revolt can happen.

“But I do not think that we have gotten to that kind of level in Nigeria,’’ Abubakar, a Senior Lecturer in the Political Science Department of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,