Nigeria Denies Destabilisation Claims By Niger Republic

“These allegations are unfounded and should be discarded in their entirety,” the ministry said in a statement.

It was released three days after Niger Republic officials summoned a top Nigerian diplomat to make a protest.

Niger’s foreign minister, Bakary Yaou Sangare, had said in a statement read on state television on Thursday, “Despite efforts to normalise relations, we regret that Nigeria has not given up on serving as a rear base for the destabilisation of Niger with the complicity of some foreign powers and officials of the former regime, to whom it offers refuge.”

The country had claimed that forces based in Nigeria had assisted in a December 13 attack on the Niger-Benin oil pipeline by the Lakurawa terrorist group.

But the Nigerian foreign ministry said yesterday that Nigeria refuted its involvement in the attack, saying the attackers were neither backed nor assisted by Nigerian authorities.

It said Nigeria would continue to explore all peaceful means to maintain cordial relations with Niger.