Nigeria Rejects Baseless Accusations from Niger Military Leader
By Usman A Harande
Abuja, Nigeria December 26, 2024
The Nigerian government has vehemently denied allegations made by the military leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, accusing Nigeria of colluding with France to destabilize the country.
In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of Information and National Orientation dismissed the claims as “existing solely in the realm of imagination.” The statement emphasized that Nigeria has consistently maintained friendly relations with Niger and has never engaged in any activities to undermine its stability.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Chairman of ECOWAS, has demonstrated exemplary leadership by keeping the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engaging Niger Republic,” the statement read. “Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger.
“The government further refuted allegations of supporting terrorist groups operating in Niger, stating that the Nigerian military has been actively combating terrorism within the region, including the Lakurawa group specifically mentioned by General Tchiani.”The accusation that Nigeria seeks to sabotage Niger’s pipelines and agriculture is both unfounded and counterproductive,” the statement continued.
“Nigeria has consistently supported Niger’s economic development through joint energy and infrastructure projects.”The government urged General Tchiani to provide credible evidence to support his accusations, stating that the claims appear to be an attempt to deflect attention from the internal challenges facing Niger.
“Any attempt to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s principled stance against the unconstitutional seizure of power in the Niger Republic is both disingenuous and doomed to fail,” the statement concluded.
About The Author
