Security scholar at the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Oyesoji Aremu, yesterday, said any row between Nigeria and its neighbour, Niger Republic, would portend great security risks for both countries.

Niger’s military leader, Brigadier General Abdourahmane Tchiani, had in an interview on Wednesday, alleged that France was negotiating with terrorists in Nigeria to destabilise his country.

Referring to the allegation, Aremu told The Guardian in Ibadan that a row would worsen security challenges in both countries.

He said: “The political and security face-off between Nigeria and Niger Republic, although not seemingly expected, the dimensions it is assuming portends further security risks to the two countries, especially Nigeria that has been battling with incessant insecurity for close to two decades now.

“The two countries need bilateral security measures not only to curtail the insecurity but also to prevent further escalation of it, which may worsen if not addressed.

“And unfortunately, too, other countries especially Mali and Burkina Faso, which are allied to the Nigerien military junta may also not cooperate with Nigeria on security”

He, however, urged the two countries to embrace dialogue to resolve the matter, “What the two countries need to do is to come to a roundtable in which the issue at hand needs to be discussed to give some assurances of non-interference in domestic politics. This may be difficult given the position of Nigeria in the sub-region. Nevertheless, the Niger Republic needs this.”