The Federal Government has dismissed the allegations by the military leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, claiming collusion between Nigeria and France to destabilise his country.
According to the federal government, these claims exist solely in the realm of imagination, as Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France—or any other country—to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilise the Niger Republic in the wake of the undemocratic change in the leadership of that country.
Reacting to the claims made in a viral video, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohamed Idris argued that President Bola Tinubu, as Chairman of ECOWAS, has demonstrated exemplary leadership, keeping the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engage Niger Republic despite the political situation in the country.
Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger.
He observed that President Tchiani’s allegations are not only unfounded but also a dangerous attempt to divert attention from his administration’s shortcomings.
Idris stated that Nigeria’s Armed Forces, in collaboration with partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force, are succeeding in curbing terrorism within the region, stressing that it is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Nigeria would conspire with any foreign power to undermine the peace and security of a neighboring country.
He said, “Neither the Nigerian government nor any of its officials has ever been involved in arming or supporting any terror group to attack Niger Republic. Furthermore, no part of Nigeria has been ceded to any foreign power for subversive operations in Niger Republic.
“We reiterate our full support to senior Nigerian government officials for their untiring commitment to fostering peace and security between the government and people of Nigeria and Niger, and for their efforts towards stronger cooperation in the ECOWAS region.”
The minister observed that Nigeria has a long-standing tradition of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and unlike some nations, Nigeria has never permitted foreign powers to establish military bases on its soil, which demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to national independence and regional leadership.
Idris insisted that the allegation that Nigeria seeks to sabotage Niger’s pipelines and agriculture is both unfounded and counterproductive, adding that Nigeria has consistently supported Niger’s economic development through joint energy and infrastructure projects, such as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and the Kano-Maradi Railway Project.
“It is illogical to suggest that Nigeria would undermine initiatives it has actively promoted.
“The claims about the alleged establishment of a so-called Lakurawa terrorist headquarters in Sokoto State, purportedly orchestrated by Nigeria in collaboration with France, are baseless.
“Nigeria has been a regional leader in combating terrorism, dedicating significant resources and lives to ensure stability in the Lake Chad Basin and beyond.”
“Recently, the Nigerian military launched Operation Forest Sanity III, specifically addressing the Lakurawa threat, code-named Operation Chase Lakurawa Out. How can a government actively fighting the Lakurawa menace now be accused of harboring the same group within its borders?
“These accusations lack credible evidence and seem to be part of a broader attempt to deflect attention from Niger’s internal challenges.”
Idris urged the public to disregard these false allegations, saying that those making such claims, particularly the military leader in Niger Republic, must provide credible evidence to substantiate them.
He observed that any attempt to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s principled stance against the unconstitutional seizure of power in the Niger Republic is both disingenuous and doomed to fail.
The minister said that Nigeria remains committed to fostering regional stability and will continue to lead efforts to address terrorism and other transnational challenges, urging Niger to focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration rather than peddling baseless accusations.
