Ex-minister says Nigeria doesn’t need France to destabilise Niger Republic

Ex-minister says Nigeria doesn’t need France to destabilise Niger Republic

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has dismissed claims by Niger Republic’s military leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, that Nigeria is collaborating with France and terrorist groups to destabilise the West African nation.

In a strongly worded statement shared on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, Fani-Kayode argued that Nigeria, if it wished to destabilise Niger, would not require assistance from France or any terrorist organisations.

“If Nigeria wanted to destabilise Niger Republic, I do not believe that we would need France or any terrorist organisation to do so,” Fani-Kayode stated.

He accused Western powers of backing terrorist groups in the West African region over the past 15 years, stressing that Nigeria has been a victim of such organisations and would never align with them.

“I have maintained that the Western powers are behind the terrorist groups that have plagued the West African sub-region over the last 15 years, and for the last ten years, I have publicly stated this and given my reasons,” he said.

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The former minister condemned Tchiani’s allegations that President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu were working with France to sponsor terrorism in Niger, describing the accusations as baseless and provocative.

“Tchiani’s grave allegations that President Tinubu and NSA Nuhu Ribadu have been bought by the French to destabilise Niger Republic, that our Government is jointly sponsoring a terrorist group with France to do the same, and that there are French military bases in Nigeria are infantile, puerile, mendacious and asinine,” Fani-Kayode said.

He warned the Nigerien leader against making inflammatory statements that could strain relations between the two countries.

“The Nigerien Military Head of State, Abdourahamane Tchiani, would do well to be careful not to provoke our wrath with his absurd assertions and remain mindful of the fact that the defence budget for his country, Mali, and Burkina Faso combined is not up to 25% of Nigeria’s,” he added.

Fani-Kayode urged the Nigerian government to consider “more extreme measures” if the accusations from Niger persist, asserting that Nigeria has no obligation to show restraint in the face of such provocations.

 

Ex-minister says Nigeria doesn’t need France to destabilise Niger Republic