The senator representing Borno South at the National Assembly, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has condemned the sanctions imposed on Niger Republic, following a coup d’état in the country in July this year.
He also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgency reconsider the sanctions on humanitarian ground and livelihood of the poor citizens of Niger Republic and neighbouring countries of Chad and Cameroon that share borders with Niger Republic.
He also described the sanction as unnecessary and against the privileges and freedom of the larger majority of the people of Niger Republic and neighbouring countries of Cameroon and Chad among others.
Senator Ndume, who stated this in an interview with journalists at his residence in Maiduguri, lamented that the sanction does impact on the juntas but greatly and regrettably affects the poor masses and ordinary people, especially the over 100,000 Nigerian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge in Niger Republic.
He further appealed to President Tinubu as chairman of ECOWAS as well as leader of a great and leading country like Nigeria to take the lead and denounce the sanction in the general interest and livelihood of the poor masses in both Niger Republic and other surrounding countries for peace to reign.
He however acknowledged that the coup in July 2023 by the military junta that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum is a violation of human rights and international humanitarian law.
The federal lawmaker noted that he is not in support of the military coup d’état in Niger but punishing innocent citizens in the name of sanction that affects the people is unacceptable.
According to him, cutting down the power supply, restriction of free movement, preventing food, fuel and water supply to Niger Republic has negative repercussions not only on Nigeriens but to Nigerian IDPs in Niger among others.
Ndume suggested that the best way forward to address the situation is to negotiate with the coup junta to release Mohammed Bazoum and hand over power to a democratic government of the country by way of returning the government back to democracy.
