
Niger’s military leader, Brigadier General Abdourahmane Tchiani, has accused neighboring Nigeria of conspiring with France to destabilize his country, claims which have sparked tensions between the two nations.
In a Christmas Day interview, Tchiani, who leads Niger’s military junta following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in 2023, alleged that France was collaborating with militant groups in the Lake Chad region to undermine Niger’s security, and that Nigeria was complicit in this operation.
“Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this underhanded move,” Tchiani was quoted as saying by AFP.
However, Nigerian officials have swiftly dismissed these accusations. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu called the claims “baseless” and “false,” affirming that Nigeria would never act to harm Niger. Ribadu further emphasized that Nigeria would never allow a disaster to befall its neighbor.
Nigeria’s Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, also rejected the allegations, describing them as a “diversionary tactic aimed at covering [Tchiani’s] administration’s failures.” Idris reiterated that Nigeria has never engaged in any alliance, either overt or covert, with France—or any other country—to destabilize Niger. He also denied accusations of Nigeria sabotaging Niger’s pipeline and agriculture sectors.
These allegations have heightened already strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, particularly since Niger’s military coup in 2023, which was met with regional condemnation and economic sanctions from West Africa’s regional bloc, Ecowas. Led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, Ecowas imposed sanctions and even threatened military intervention if constitutional order was not restored.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Ecowas, which has long supported peace and security in West Africa, rejected Tchiani’s allegations. “Ecowas refutes any suggestion that such a generous and magnanimous country [Nigeria] would become a state sponsor of terrorism,” the bloc said. Ecowas reaffirmed its commitment to peace, noting that Nigeria has been a key proponent of regional stability.
Tensions between Niger and its neighbors have escalated since the coup, as Niger has sought to align with fellow junta-led countries, Mali and Burkina Faso, while urging France and other Western powers to withdraw their military bases. These geopolitical developments have drawn sharp divisions, particularly as Ecowas has taken a firm stance against the military regimes that have emerged in the region.