Nigeria, Niger relations worsen as Tchiani acusses Tinubu of security sabotage
General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the military leader of Niger Republic, has levelled allegations against the Nigerian government, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Tchiani accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of colluding with France to destabilize Niger.
He claimed that there was a financial arrangement between Tinubu and French authorities, suggesting that France promised monetary support in exchange for allowing French military presence in Nigeria.
Tchiani’s assertions included specific allegations that French troops were involved in training terrorists and that they had established a base near Lake Chad. He alleged that these troops were providing arms to Boko Haram fighters, which he claimed were intended to counteract Chadian military efforts against terrorism. Furthermore, he accused the Nigerian government of being complicit or at least aware of these activities but failing to act against them.
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He said: “President Tinubu should come out and tell Nigerians how much he collected from France. If he refuses to do so, there will be a day of reckoning. Allah is watching.
“ECOWAS has been out of control. It has merely become a puppet of the French authorities. France dictates to it as it pleases. This is because the leaders of ECOWAS countries are power-hungry people.
“From the Nigerian president to those of Benin, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire — they all go to France whenever elections are around. They go and bow before Macron to ask for funds to contest again. Do you have the temerity to say no to the person who gave you money?”
Tchiani also alleged that French military personnel were present on an island known as Kurnawa, as well as in places like Tangarwa and Dogon Chuku.
“We repatriated two French officials who had relocated to Nigeria. They were warmly accepted by Nigeria. They provide training to terrorists,” he alleged in the widely circulated videos.
He also alleged that France designated an area as ‘Canada’, recruited many Nigerians and enlisted them with the tacit knowledge of Nigerian authorities.
Tchiani accused France of arming Boko Haram fighters in the Lake Chad region with anti-aircraft weapons in order to combat Chadian forces.
He alleged that when France realised that Chadian forces were using airstrikes against Boko Haram, they armed the sect members with ground-to-air weapons so that they could bring down Chadian military aircrafts.
“The weapons were delivered on October 16. France has a base in Lake Chad. The reports we gathered from high-profile terrorists in our detention facilities revealed a sinister plan.
“And by the way, Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this underhanded move. It is near a forest close to Sokoto where they wanted to establish a terrorist stronghold known as Lakurawa. The French and ISWAP made this deal on March 4, 2024.
The Nigerien leader said: “We explained the French’s sinister tactics to him (a former official of Nigerian government). He promised to send a team of intelligence officers, who arrived in Niger, and we financed their entire operation. They had interactive sessions with various terrorists detained in our facilities. The terrorists revealed French motives against Nigeria. He, himself, was involved in financing terrorist training in different locations, including in the Central African Republic.”
Tchiani named some key figures in Nigerian government who he claimed are aware of the situation, but remained silent and refused to act.
“We did all of this out of brotherhood with Nigeria. Alas, we didn’t realise that Nigeria’s decline came from the leadership, until later.”
He said Niger decided to take “decisive action against the French conspiracy, as well as deal with the Lakurawa group, which was reportedly positioned in neighbouring countries to launch attacks on Niger’s oil pipeline facilities.”
Nigerian government’s response
In response, the Nigerian government has categorically denied these allegations.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described Tchiani’s claims as baseless and emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining peaceful relations with Niger.
Idris asserted that Nigeria has never engaged in any covert operations to destabilize its neighbor and highlighted ongoing collaborative efforts in combating terrorism through regional initiatives like the Multinational Joint Task Force.
The situation is further complicated by the historical context of Nigeria-Niger relations and the involvement of external powers like France in West African politics. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has also been drawn into this conflict, with sanctions imposed on Niger following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023.
This exchange reflects not only bilateral tensions but also broader geopolitical dynamics involving former colonial powers and regional security issues.
