The Economic of West African States (ECOWAS) has described terrorism allegations against Nigeria and other member states by Niger Republic as “unfounded”, saying it was solidly behind its members.
ECOWAS in a statement on Thursday described the allegations as “unfounded”.
“The Commission of the Economic and West African Staes (ECOWAS) expresses deep concern over allegations being made against Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states. The commission stands firmly by Nigeria and ECOWAS member states against allegations that they are sponsoring terrorism.
“For years, Nigeria has supported peace and security of several countries not only in the West African subregion but also on the African continent. The recent successes recorded by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which Nigeria leads, demonstrate the country’s commitment to peace and security across the region.
“ECOWAS therefore, refutes any suggestion that such a generous and magnanimous country would become a state-sponsor of terrorism,” the statement read in part.
ECOWAS urged all states in the region to promote dialogue and stability and refrain from making accusations that are not supported by any evidence.
Niger Republic had accused Nigeria and other ECOWAS members of colluding with France to destabilise the country. Nigeria had on Thursday the allegation.
The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the rebuttal in a statement, amid claims by Niger Republic’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, that Nigeria was working with France against his country.
Similarly, National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has described as baseless and untrue, allegations by the Niger Republic military junta leader that Nigeria was collaborating with France to destabilise the country.
Ribadu in an interview with BBC Hausa Service said contrary to the claims, Nigeria’s relationship with France was based on economic cooperation, not military collaboration.
He said there was no military base in Nigeria, not even from Nigeria’s colonial masters, Britain.
The NSA said, “France has military agreements with its former colonies, but Nigeria has never been part of such arrangements. The claim that France is using Nigerian territory to launch an attack on Niger is both implausible and baseless. It will not happen. How could it even happen?”
He said General Tchiani’s statement was both surprising and disturbing as the allegations were baseless and entirely unfounded.
“Nigeria has no intention of sabotaging or destabilizing Niger. We have always maintained peaceful relations with our neighbors, including Cameroon, Benin Republic, and Chad. Why would we suddenly have a reason to be in conflict with Niger? It simply doesn’t make sense,” he said.
He restated that the allegation was completely untrue. “Nigeria has no history of hosting foreign military bases. Even the United Kingdom, our former colonizer, has never attempted to establish a base here. Nigeria firmly resisted an attempt by the U.S. to set up a base (AFRICOM) within our borders. On the contrary, Niger has hosted such bases, including one established by the U.S., which they recently expelled.
“Moreover, Nigeria’s relationship with France is based on economic cooperation, not military collaboration. While Niger’s leadership may have issues with France, it is unreasonable to expect Nigeria to sever ties with France over Niger’s internal disputes.
The Junta leader also mentioned specific locations in Nigeria, which reflects his familiarity with the terrain.
However, I urge journalists and the public to verify if there are any new foreign settlers, let alone French nationals, in these areas. Nigeria has no intention or reason to destabilize Niger,” he added.
Ribadu stated further that since the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office, “we have taken decisive action against bandits, kidnappers, IPOB, and Niger Delta militants. By God’s grace, we have made significant progress in weakening these groups.
“Niger must recognize that we share a common enemy. The same terrorism and banditry that plague Niger also threaten Nigeria. This shared challenge calls for closer cooperation between our nations. Nigerians and Nigeriens are essentially one people—what affects one side affects the other. Nigeria would never support terrorists, especially when we are fighting the same menace.
“I urge Niger’s leadership to reconsider its stance. Severing ties with France and aligning with other powers will likely bring more difficulties. We had previously warned them about hosting a U.S. base, but they didn’t listen and later regretted it. As a brotherly nation, we continue to advise Niger to focus on cooperation and mutual stability,”.
Speaking on the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) operation in the Lake, he admitted that Niger has expressed desire to withdraw from the partnership.
“We are urging them to reconsider this decision because the collaboration is critical for combating Boko Haram and other non-state actors in the region. A withdrawal would only create more security challenges for all of us.
Once again, I emphasize that Nigeria’s relationship with France is strictly economic and has no military implications. We will not allow our country to be used as a tool for destabilizing Niger. We hope that Niger’s leadership will understand this and work with us as allies and brothers to ensure peace and stability in the region,” he said.
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