Nigeria has firmly rejected allegations made by Niger Republic’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, in a viral video accusing Nigeria of colluding with France to destabilise his country.
In a press statement issued Thursday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the government described the claims as entirely baseless and existing “solely in the realm of imagination.”
“Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France—or any other country—to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize the Niger Republic,” Idris said.
The minister emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Chairman of ECOWAS, has shown exemplary leadership by keeping diplomatic channels open with Niger Republic, even amid the ongoing political impasse. Idris reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fostering peace, harmony, and historic ties with Niger.
Idris dismissed accusations that Nigeria sought to sabotage Niger’s pipelines and agriculture, calling them “unfounded and counterproductive.”
He noted that Nigeria has actively supported Niger’s economic development through joint projects such as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and the Kano-Maradi Railway.
The statement also addressed claims of an alleged Lakurawa terrorist headquarters in Sokoto State, purportedly orchestrated by Nigeria and France. Idris countered this, highlighting Nigeria’s regional leadership in combating terrorism, including recent military operations like Operation Forest Sanity III.
“How can a government actively fighting the Lakurawa menace now be accused of harboring the same group within its borders?” Idris queried, describing the accusations as lacking credible evidence and designed to deflect attention from Niger’s internal challenges.
The minister urged the public to disregard the false allegations and challenged Tchiani to provide credible evidence to back his claims.
He described attempts to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s stance against unconstitutional power grabs as “disingenuous and doomed to fail.”
“Nigeria remains committed to fostering regional stability and will continue leading efforts to combat terrorism and transnational challenges,” Idris concluded.
