The Northern Elder’s Forum (NEF) has called on President Tinubu and ECOWAS to lift the sanctions placed on Niger, adding that it will only deter the issues at hand.

Speaking during an interview on Channels TV Politics Today on Wednesday, the spokesman of the forum, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated that sanctions placed on the military junta have failed so far.

He said, “We [NEF] were very clear in terms of reminding Mr. President and ECOWAS that Nigerians emphatically say No to any military activities in Niger. It will not be helpful, and it will also implicate the matter more.

“Nigeria should be trusted to initiate and sustain a dialogue with the Junta, which is currently holding the Nigerien president [Bazoum] and holding unto power.

“We have to do this to see whether we can make headway rather than throwing threats at the people of Niger. Clearly, it hasn’t worked, two weeks or three weeks into the first ultimatum. The first ultimatum was one week, one week came and passed, and nothing happened.

“They met again and said this time they are activating a standby force; we haven’t seen any standby force. All it is doing is just making the situation worse.”

Baba-Ahmed also disclosed that the people in Niger are in ‘disbelief’ over Nigeria’s actions towards the country.

“The perspective we are getting is that a lot of people in Niger cannot believe that Nigeria is reacting this way. They cannot believe that we can put them in such difficulty.

“The fact that we cut off the power supply we supply to Niger is putting the Nigerien people under the most economic difficulties they have ever experienced. It’s hurting the Northern communities close to Niger.

“Whatever happens in Niger automatically happens in Nigeria. That is how intimately involved both countries are. This is not the time to turn the screw; it’s the time to talk.”

The group also called on ECOWAS to ‘listen’ to the people of West Africa.

“Listen to the voices of the people; West African people are against a war in another country over a couple. The diplomatic option is there, can be re-strengthened, and can work.

“There are extra-African countries without African interests pushing us to war because they have a strategic interest to protect. We have to be very careful; we can’t fight each other while other interests outside Africa are taking away our resources.

“We are already poor in this part of the world, and there are powerful nations that are trying to push us to fight so they continue to exploit us.”