France speaks on alleged plot with Nigeria to destabilise Niger

France speaks on alleged plot with Nigeria to destabilise Niger

France has dismissed allegation that Nigeria has offered space in its territory to it in order to destabilise the former French colony, Niger Republic.

Abdourahamane Tchiani, Nigerien military leader, had accused France of plotting to destabilise the country by using neighbouring Benin and Nigeria as a base for attacks.

In a Christmas Day interview, Gen. Tchiani accused France of allying with militant groups in the Lake Chad region to undermine his country’s security, allegedly with Nigeria’s knowledge.

He said: “Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this underhanded move.”

Gen Tchiani said France made a “substantial payment to President Bola Tinubu” to establish a military base in Nigeria.

“They (France) met and negotiated with Boko Haram/Lakurawa,” Tchiani said.

But reacting yesterday, Mr. Bertrand de Seissan, Political Counsellor to the Embassy of France in Nigeria, said the allegation was groundless. “This allegation is groundless. This has never been discussed, nor even suggested by either France or Nigeria,” he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, had also described the allegations as insulting to Nigeria and dismissed calls for Nigeria to cut ties with France.

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According to him, Nigeria has always maintained a relationship with France. He dismissed reports suggesting that the ties were driven by ulterior motives.

The minister said: “We have always had a relationship with France, it did not start today and there is nothing different about our relationship with France today but it does not mean that other countries or other people have to dictate to Nigeria who it should have a relationship with.”

Tuggarr noted combating terrorism as one of Nigeria’s key interests with France.

“We cannot tackle the issue of insecurity in our region simply by a partnership or by being friends with the Sahelian countries. Even if you do that you still have Libya to contend with,” he said.

“I just finished describing to you the weaponry that is being churned out of Libya; training, fighters, terrorists, the criminal gangs and so on and so forth.

“To solve Libya we need a relationship with France, we need a relationship with the United States of America, we need a relationship with Russia, we need a relationship with all of these major powers.

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“You cannot say that ‘Oh no, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have decided after all these years they no longer want to have anything to do with France therefore Nigeria must be compelled’ and meanwhile Nigeria is the senior partner in the relationship, to begin with. It is shortsighted, myopic, and not in Nigeria’s national interest.”

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, had earlier said the Nigerien leader’s allegations were baseless and false.

Mr. Ribadu said Nigeria would never “sabotage Niger or allow any disaster to befall it.”

Similarly, the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, said the allegations were unfounded and a diversionary tactic aimed at covering his administration’s failures.

Reports alleging hidden motives from France started to swirl after President Bola Tinubu travelled to the country for a three-day state visit.

Gen Tchiani’s allegations have worsened diplomatic tensions with Nigeria, already strained since the 2023 military coup that ousted ex-president Mohamed Bazoum.

 

France speaks on alleged plot with Nigeria to destabilise Niger