The League of Northern Democrats (LND) has expressed sturdy dissatisfaction with the Federal Authorities’s dealing with of allegations made by Niger’s navy chief, Basic Abdourahamane Tiani.
Tiani had accused Nigeria of working with France to destabilize the Sahel area.
In a press release launched on Friday, the LND’s spokesperson, Dr. Ladan Salihu, criticized the federal government for failing to adequately deal with essential safety points.
The group raised considerations over how rebel teams like Boko Haram and ISWAP proceed to acquire superior weaponry, together with drones, that are usually accessible solely by state-sponsored or extremely organized unlawful networks.
“The federal government should reply a elementary query: who’s supplying these weapons?” the assertion mentioned. “For practically 20 years, insurgents have been higher armed than many nationwide forces within the area. Why hasn’t the federal government dismantled these provide networks?”
The LND linked these points to allegations of international interference, particularly pointing to France’s historical past of involvement in Africa.
The group warned that dismissing Tiani’s claims with out addressing the broader context might overlook essential features of the safety disaster.
“France has a documented historical past of supporting insurgencies to safe entry to pure sources,” the assertion continued. “The Federal Authorities’s denial doesn’t make clear whether or not exterior actors are exploiting Nigeria’s vulnerabilities.”
The group additionally condemn President Bola Tinubu’s function as ECOWAS Chairman, citing tensions throughout the regional bloc.
Salihu highlighted the latest withdrawal of a number of member states and strained relations attributable to Nigeria’s assist for sanctions and potential navy intervention in Niger.
“Whereas the federal government claims to guide ECOWAS, its actions have deepened divisions throughout the bloc,” Salihu mentioned. “Sanctions have worsened the struggling of unusual Nigeriens, and the decision for navy intervention, supported by France, undermines peace efforts.”
The LND questioned the effectiveness of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, together with initiatives like Operation Forest Sanity III.
The group argued that terrorist strongholds stay energetic, elevating considerations about whether or not the difficulty stems from authorities incapacity or complicity.
The LND concluded by urging the federal government to undertake a clear and efficient method to the safety disaster in Northern Nigeria and the Sahel area.
“Empty rhetoric received’t remedy these issues,” Salihu warned. “The federal government should present credible proof and concrete options. In any other case, its denials shall be seen as a deflection from its accountability to guard Nigeria’s sovereignty and guarantee regional safety.”
The Federal Authorities had beforehand dismissed Tiani’s allegations. Info Minister Muhammad Idris described the claims as baseless, asserting that Nigeria has by no means engaged in any alliance, covert or in any other case, with France or any nation to sponsor terrorism or destabilize Niger.
