The federal government, on Thursday night, described allegations by the Nigerien junta, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, that there was a covert collusion between Nigeria and France to destabilise his country as an attempt to blackmail Nigeria over the principled stance of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against the unconstitutional seizure of power in that country.
Describing the allegation as disingenuous and doomed to fail, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement, insisted the claim was “non-existent”.
That was as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, maintained that the Nigerian military will not allow any foreign military base in the country.
Musa also warned those said to be doing business with terrorists to desist from such criminality.
Former presidential spokesperson, Reno Omokri, said Tchiani’s allegation was an indication that he was in panic mode.
Niger’s Head of State had accused France of providing financial support to the Nigeria government to establish a military base in Borno State, purportedly to destabilise Niger Republic and its neighbours.
Tchiani made the allegation on Christmas Day in an address, where he accused Niger’s former colonial masters of meddlesomeness and hatching ulterior motives in the sub-region’s political affairs.
But Idris, who refuted the claims, said they existed solely in the realm of imagination of the Nigerien authorities.
He insisted that Nigeria had never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France – or any other country – to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilise Niger Republic in the wake of the undemocratic change in the leadership of that country.
Idris, who challenged the Nigerien junta to substantiate his allegation with credible evidence, urged the Nigerian public to disregard the false and unmeritorious allegations.
“Any attempt to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s principled stance against the unconstitutional seizure of power in the Niger Republic is disingenuous and doomed to fail,” he said.
According to the information minister, “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 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.”
Idris added, “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 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.”
The minister also reiterated that Nigeria had a long-standing tradition of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that unlike some nations, the country has never permitted foreign powers to establish military bases on its soil.
While adding that the policy demonstrated the country’s commitment to national independence and regional leadership, Idris also denied as unfounded and counterproductive Niger’s accusation that Nigeria was seeking to sabotage its northern neighbours’ pipelines and agriculture.
He insisted the federal government had 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, saying it would be illogical to suggest that Nigeria would undermine initiatives it had actively promoted.
Idris stated, “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.
“Recently, 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.”
The minister urged Niger to focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration rather than peddling baseless accusations. He described Tchiani’s allegations as “not only unfounded but also a dangerous attempt to divert attention from his administration’s shortcomings”.
He asserted Nigeria’s firm commitment to fostering regional stability to continue to lead efforts to address terrorism and other transnational challenges.
CDS: We Won’t Allow Foreign Military Base
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, said the Nigerian military will not allow any foreign military base in the country.
Musa made the disclosure on Thursday in Sokoto during a Christmas Luncheon with the troops of Operation Fasan Yamma.
Musa stated, “We will continue to partner together bilaterally because we do training together and we will consistently send our officers, which is a normal thing, but having foreign military base in Nigeria is not part of our plan.”
He urged the troops to crush all terrorists and criminals, including the emerging Lakurawa sects, before the end of 2025.
Musa said as part of the effort to eliminate Lakurawa terrorists in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, he recently deployed a special brigade to the states.
He implored the troops to be professional in their operations, stressing that the military is an institution of reward and punishment.
On border operations, he maintained that the ministry of interior was taking steps, in collaboration with the military, to contain the activities of smugglers and stop the proliferation of arms in the country.
Musa, who saluted the courage and resilience of the troops, enjoined them to sustain the tempo.
He appealed to Nigerians to support the military in its bid to stamp out criminals, saying security is a collective responsibility.
On the incident in Sokoto on Thursday, where the Sokoto State Government accused the military of bombing civilians, leaving no fewer than 10 persons dead, Musa explained that the military carried out a legitimate operation in the area.
He stated that, “If you turn yourself to a rat, a cat will go after you.”
He warned people not to harbour terrorists, otherwise, the military would treat them as the same.
Speaking after a charity visit to patients at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Medical Centre, as part of the Christmas celebrations, which coincided with his birthday, Musa warned against prioritising personal interest against national interest.
He said those doing business with terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other illegal non-state groups were threats to national security.
According to him, these categories of citizens are directly sabotaging the federal government’s effort to end the threats posed by nefarious activities of the criminal elements and restore a peaceful environment.
Musa spoke following intelligence that some unpatriotic elements had been trading with criminal groups. He cautioned those engaged in such illicit businesses to desist, saying such inordinate quest for wealth is an attack on the government’s counter insurgency effort.
The defence chief said the military and other security agencies had made significant progress in the fight against terrorism and insecurity in 2024, and assured that more would be achieved in the coming year.
On his part, General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Major General Ibikunke Ajose, and Commander Sector 2, Operation Yasan Yamma, explained that many successes had been recorded, saying many terrorists and their commanders have been neutralised by the Nigerian military.
In another development, the senator for Sokoto South senatorial district, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, urged the military to investigate the airstrike in the state that left about 10 persons dead
Tambuwal expressed shock and condemned the tragic airstrike that mistakenly targeted two innocent communities, Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa, in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attack, which occurred on Wednesday morning, resulted in numerous casualties.
In a statement, Tambuwal extended his deepest sympathies to the grieving families, who lost loved ones in the unfortunate incident. He expressed his heartfelt commiserations to the injured and pledged solidarity with the people of Silame in their time of difficulty.
Omokri: Tchiani in Panic Mode
Former presidential spokesperson, Reno Omokri, said the leader of the Nigerien junta, Abdourahamane Tchiani, was in panic mode, when he made wild and totally unfounded allegations against Nigeria.
Omokri said regarding Tchiani, “His anxiety is caused by the fact that he is in precisely the same situation that Bashar al-Assad was until recently. Like Bashar al-Assad, he is facing a rebellion and multiple domestic agitators, especially in the Sahel.
“And just as al-Assad did, he turned to Russia. Now, the penny has dropped, and Tchiani has seen that Russia could not save Bashar al-Assad, when push came to shove. He is beginning to feel naked and vulnerable.
“But he cannot stand up to his new friends. He is completely beholden to them. So, he has to look for an outlet, a target to vent his frustrations on.
“Tchiani’s wild and unfounded allegations against President Tinubu are a classic case of siege mentality, reflecting his present agitated state of mind.
“He feels fearful of neighbours that Niger has shared for centuries because of his paranoia and fears that if Russian and Wagner forces could not prop up their ally in Syria, how can he feel confident.”
Chuks Okocha, Olawale Ajimotokan, Linus Aleke and Onuminya Innocent
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