Ndume urges Tinubu to lift ECOWAS economic, other sanctions on Niger
By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has urged President Bola Tinubu to lift the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) economic, trade and other sanctions on Niger Republic.
According to him, the five-month sanctions are seriously affecting the people of Niger, instead of the Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani military government.
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Ndume made the call on Tuesday, at his Government Reservation Area (GRA) residence, in Maiduguri, while lamenting the sanctions on the 26 million people of the French-speaking border country.
Besides the economic hardships in Niger, the people in the border areas of Kano, Zamfara, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kebbi and Yobe states, in Nigeria, are also seriously affected with the economic and trade sanctions.
He noted that ECOWAS’s sanctions, should be placed on the General Tchiani junta that unlawfully toppled the democratically elected government of President Mohamad Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
“The decision of ECOWAS economic sanctions on Niger, was however, rushed, instead of the National Assembly to dialogue with Gen. Tchiani junta,” he said, warning that about 100, 000 displaced persons from Abadam, Guzamala and Mobbar local councils are taking refuge in Diffa Province for over a decade.
Ndume, therefore, called on Tinubu to negotiate with Gen. Tchiani by sending four former military Heads of State, comprising retired Generals Yakubu Gowon, Abubakar Abdulsalami, Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida.
He said that the diplomatic negotiations, could also retain the “respect and dignity” Nigeria has with ECOWAS, African Union (AU) and the international community.
Ndume, representing Borno south senatorial district and Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, warned that the sustenance of economic and trade sanctions will continue to make the people suffer with rising costs of living in Niger and the border areas of eight states in country.
On the cutoff of electricity to Niger, he said that the Tchiani junta, has already secured about 50 megawatts of electricity from solar.
He noted that the supply of electricity to Niger, was not free, as there was an agreement with the Nigerien government that it will not build a dam across River Niger that will affect the flow of water into the Kainji Dam.
The legislator attributed the Nigerien recent coup to bad leadership and governance at the national and provincial levels.
Ndume also faulted Tinubu’s implementation of subsidizing transportation fares by 50 percent during Christmas and the New Year period.
He said that out of the six state capitals in the North East region, only travelers to Gombe state, was listed.
“None of the five bus operators are shuttling commuters to Yola, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Bauchi and Jalingo,”
The Guardian also learnt that the luxurious bus operators in the country, have suspended their trips to the region since 2014, because of the incessant Boko Haram attacks on roads.
