January 05, (THEWILL) – In what appeared like one other dimension to Niger Republic’s allegations in opposition to its southern neighbour, Nigeria, the nation’s navy Head of State, Basic Abdourahamane Tchiani, in an interview with state media Radio-Télévision du Niger (RTN) on Christmas Day, accused President Bola Tinubu of conniving with France to destabilise Niger.
Tchiani claimed that France had established a navy base in Nigeria the place it was arming terrorists hiding across the Lake Chad area to hold out assaults in Nigerien territory.
“The Nigerian authorities should not unaware of this underhanded transfer. It’s close to a forest near Sokoto the place they needed to determine a terrorist stronghold often called Lakurawas,” the Nigerien chief stated, clearly betraying his ignorance and a scarcity of accuracy in his declare. Apparently he was unaware that Lakurawas is likely one of the terrorist teams that the Nigerian navy is battling to eradicate.
The Federal Authorities of Nigeria responded by means of its Data minister Mohammed Idris who described the allegations as “baseless” and present “solely within the realm of creativeness.”
Idris’ defence of his nation recommended that the Nigerien Head of State received all of it flawed when he claimed President Tinubu was colluding with France to destabilise Niger Republic. “Nigeria has a long-standing custom of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In contrast to some nations, Nigeria has by no means permitted overseas powers to determine navy bases on its soil. This demonstrates our dedication to nationwide independence and regional management,” he stated.
In addition to, given Nigeria’s huge picture as its brothers’ keeper throughout Africa, it’s troublesome to think about and settle for that it could ever ponder teaming up with a overseas nation to destabilise Niger Republic, of all nations, with which it shares a border and a wholesome relationship lasting a number of many years.
It appears that evidently Tchiani has forgotten too quickly that since Independence in 1960, the 2 nations have pursued shut relations. Both sides has primarily based diplomatic relations upon non-interference within the inner affairs of the opposite. Throughout the Nigerian Civil Warfare, a former President of Niger, Hamani Diori was an lively mediator within the battle. There have been no severe border conflicts.
Each nations have even carried out a joint navy marketing campaign to rid their borders of the menace of insurgents and combat insecurity.
Nonetheless, Gen Tchiani’s allegations have worsened diplomatic tensions with Nigeria, already strained because the 2023 navy coup that ousted Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum.
It is very important word that the present Nigerien management grew to become ill-disposed towards Nigeria after the Financial Neighborhood of West African States, ECOWAS, chaired by Nigeria’s President Tinubu, imposed financial sanctions on Niger and threatened navy intervention if constitutional order was not restored.
The identical sub-regional physique got here to Nigeria’s defence lately. Refuting Niger’s allegations in a press release, ECOWAS stated, “For years, Nigeria has supported peace and safety of a number of nations not solely within the West African subregion but in addition on the African continent.” It waved away any suggestion that such a beneficiant and magnanimous nation would develop into a state sponsor of terrorism.
As Niger’s claims proceed to draw criticism and condemnation, two distinguished northern teams, the Arewa Youths Coalition for Peace and Political Improvement and the Northern Elders Progressives Group, have demanded an apology from Tchiani over his allegation that Nigeria is colluding with France to destabilise the nation.
The teams described the allegations as able to overheating the polity in Nigeria and Niger Republic, which have a protracted historical past of friendship and cooperation.
“We reject in totality, the current allegations made by Basic Abdourahamane Tchiani, the Army Head of Niger Republic in opposition to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of conniving with France to destabilise his nation. These are baseless allegations able to overheating the polity in our nation,” the teams said in a communique, launched by Convener of the eighth joint assembly of the teams, Yusuf Abubakar, in Kaduna on Thursday.
The teams additionally referred to as on the navy ruler of the Niger Republic to tender a direct apology to Nigeria and cease creating rigidity between the 2 nations.
“We name on the President of the Niger Republic to tender a direct apology to Nigeria and cease creating the stress of disunity between the two-brotherly nations which have a standard historic understanding, unity and regard for one another,” the communique said.
We consider that the request to tender unreserved apology to Nigeria, whose picture has been so undeservingly denigrated, is in good order. Extra so, it’s apparent that Basic Tchiani’s claims have been the merchandise of both misinformation or outright mischief borne out of pure malice.
