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FG Rejects Niger’s Allegations as Baseless
In an interview with TRT Afrika, Tchani alleged that he personally reached out to top Nigerian officials, including former National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General Ahmed Rufa’i and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, to warn them about the group. He also claimed that the Nigerian government sent a delegation to Niger and spoke to captured terrorists about the situation.
However, the Nigerian government swiftly rejected these claims, calling them “baseless” and “untrue.” In a statement, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris said the allegations were purely imaginary, adding that Nigeria has never been involved in any collaboration with France or any other country to support terrorism or destabilize Niger.
Idris emphasized that President Bola Tinubu, as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), had shown strong leadership and kept diplomatic channels open with Niger, despite the political turmoil in the country. He also reassured Nigerians that the country’s military, along with international partners, was successfully working to combat terrorism in the region.
The minister strongly denied the idea that Nigeria had supported any terrorist groups or collaborated with foreign powers to harm Niger. He also dismissed Tchani’s claims about terrorist training camps in Nigeria, specifically in Sokoto State, saying they were unsubstantiated.
“We are committed to regional peace and stability,” Idris said. “Nigeria has a long-standing policy of defending its sovereignty and will not undermine its neighbors.”
Tchani’s accusations also included claims that France had provided Boko Haram with weapons, allegedly allowing terrorists to shoot down Chadian military jets. He also suggested that France was planning to set up a terrorist base in Sokoto, but the Nigerian government has denied these claims.
In response to these allegations, the League of Northern Democrats (LND) called for an investigation by the Nigerian government and the National Assembly. The LND expressed concern over the serious nature of Tchani’s claims and urged transparency to clear any doubts about the involvement of Nigerian officials in these alleged activities.
The LND’s spokesman, Dr. Ladan Salihu, emphasized that the Nigerian government must provide clear and verifiable evidence to refute or explain the allegations, especially since Boko Haram’s insurgency has had such a significant impact on northern Nigeria.