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France on Wednesday dismissed as “groundless” Niger Republic’s allegation that Nigeria had collaborated with France to destabilize the West African nation.
“This allegation is groundless. This has never been discussed, nor even suggested by either France or Nigeria,” Mr. Bertrand de Seissan, the Political Counsellor to the Embassy of France in Nigeria, said in Abuja.
Persecondnews recalls that Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, Niger’s military leader, sparked controversy in a Christmas Day interview by claiming that France was secretly collaborating with militant groups in the Lake Chad region to destabilize Niger’s security, with Nigeria allegedly being aware of the plot.
He said France made a “substantial payment to President Bola Tinubu” to establish a military base in Nigeria.
Tchiani said: “They (France) met and negotiated with Boko Haram/Bakurawa (a possible variation of the pronunciation of Lakurawa, a new terrorist group in Nigeria).”
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and “false” in an interview with BBC Hausa, emphasizing that Nigeria’s relationship with France is strictly economic and has no military implications.
Ribadu assured that Nigeria is committed to maintaining a positive relationship with Niger, emphasizing that the country would never intentionally undermine Niger’s stability or allow harm to come to it.
Also, Nigeria’s Information Minister, Mr. Mohammed Idris, dismissed the allegations as unfounded and a diversionary tactics aimed at covering up the failures of Niger’s administration.
Idris said: “These claims exist solely in the realm of imagination.
“Nigeria has never engaged in any alliance, overt or covert, with France — or any other country — to destabilise Niger Republic.”
Idris also denied accusations that Nigeria sabotaged Niger’s pipeline and agriculture, labeling these claims as baseless.
Gen Tchiani’s allegations have escalated tensions between Niger and Nigeria, which were already strained following the 2023 military coup that ousted Niger’s ex-President Mohamed Bazoum.
In response to the coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, imposed economic sanctions on Niger and threatened military intervention if constitutional order was not restored.
Following the coup, Niger has been pushing for France and other Western powers to withdraw their military bases from the region, while simultaneously forming a security alliance with neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which are also led by military juntas.
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