Tinubu, Mahama stress citizen-centered approach to Sahel crisis in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu and Ghana’s President John Mahama met Thursday at Nigeria’s Presidential Villa, prioritising regional security and economic collaboration amid tensions between ECOWAS and Sahelian states.

Mahama, visiting Nigeria for the first time since his January 7 inauguration, briefed Tinubu on his recent engagements with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, he emphasised ECOWAS’ diplomatic role: “I came to thank him for the honour done me during my inauguration and also to brief him on the visits to the Sahelian countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—and to bring him up to date with some of the issues and to discuss with him.”

He acknowledged the complexity of the situation, stating: “It’s a complicated situation, and it’s not as easy as we might think. We just need to continue to dialogue and see how we can continue to cooperate together”.

Tinubu praised Mahama’s efforts to bridge ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES): “I feel good that he is here in the first place, and I am indeed very happy with the efforts he has made to have a bridge between the AES countries and ECOWAS.”

He underscored citizen welfare: “The innocent people in this episode are the citizens of those countries, not much about us, the leadership. The citizens must be the first beneficiaries and the first point of reason together”.

The meeting focused on deepening bilateral ties and advancing ECOWAS’ stability goals, with discussions spanning trade, security, and democratic governance.

Tinubu reiterated his confidence in Mahama’s leadership, recalling his December 2024 post-election visit where he welcomed Mahama’s return as a boost to regional peace.