Mohamed Garba
The Federal Government of Nigeria has vehemently denied allegations made by Nigerien military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, accusing Nigeria of colluding with France to destabilize Niger Republic. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, described the claims as baseless and existing only in the realm of imagination of the Nigerien leader.
According to the minister, Nigeria has never engaged in any alliance with France or any other country to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize Niger Republic. He emphasized that President Bola Tinubu, as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has demonstrated leadership and kept the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engaging Niger Republic despite the political situation in the country.
The minister also denied allegations that Nigeria orchestrated the establishment of Lakurawa terrorist headquarters in Sokoto State in collaboration with France. He stated that Nigeria has been a regional leader in combating terrorism and has dedicated significant resources and lives to ensure stability in the Lake Chad Basin and beyond.
Alhaji Idris urged members of the public to disregard the false allegations, adding that those making such claims must provide credible evidence to substantiate them. He emphasized 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 Nigerian government has reassured its commitment to fostering regional stability and will continue to lead efforts to address terrorism and other transnational challenges. The government has urged Niger to focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration rather than peddling baseless accusations.
