The Federal Government has dismissed allegations made by the military leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, that there’s connivance between Nigeria and France to destabilise his country.
A statement issued on Thursday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, called the allegation baseless and urged the Niger junta to rather focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration.
While stating that the “claims exist solely in the realm of imagination,” the minister said Nigeria remained committed to fostering regional stability and would continue to lead efforts to address terrorism and other transnational challenges.
“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.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), as Chairman of ECOWAS, has demonstrated exemplary leadership, keeping the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engaging the Niger Republic despite the political situation in the country. Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger.
“Nigeria’s Armed Forces, in collaboration with partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force, are succeeding in curbing terrorism within the region. It is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Nigeria would conspire with any foreign power to undermine the peace and security of a neighbouring country.
“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 the 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.
“Indeed, Nigeria has a long-standing tradition of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Unlike some nations, Nigeria has never permitted foreign powers to establish military bases on its soil.
“This demonstrates our commitment to national independence and regional leadership,” the statement said.
Idris added 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.
He further stated that the accusation that Nigeria seeks to sabotage Niger’s pipelines and agriculture is both unfounded and counterproductive.
“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,” the statement said.
The minister said recently that 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 harbouring 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,” he added.
The minister therefore urged the public to disregard the false allegations.
“Those making such claims, particularly the military leader in Niger Republic, must provide credible evidence to substantiate them. 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.
“In conclusion, President Tchiani’s allegations are not only unfounded but also a dangerous attempt to divert attention from his administration’s shortcomings,” the statement said.
Nigeria Rebuffs Niger Junta’s Claim Of French Destabilisation Plot is first published on The Whistler Newspaper