Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, has refuted allegations that France is sponsoring terrorist groups in Nigeria to destabilise Niger Republic.
Abdourahamane Tchiani, military leader of Niger Republic, made the claims in an interview on Wednesday.
Tchiani, who spoke in Hausa, alleged that France is negotiating with terrorists in Nigeria to destabilise his country.
He said France made a “substantial payment to President Bola Tinubu” to establish a military base in Nigeria.
“They (France) meet and negotiated with Boko Haram/Bakurawa (a possible variation of the pronunciation of Lakurawa, a new terrorist group in Nigeria),” Tchiani said.
“It was on October 25, 2023 they told them they want to have a base within Lake Chad. If they agree, France will provide everything and whatever they want.
“Also on 10 January 2024, France gave them some equipment and if they agreed they would help them, they also went back again.
“We got a report that they changed their guns to Boko Haram Bakurawa’s faction and they left. They also returned in October with more than 100 million (probably USD) to just accept their request.”
FG DISMISSES ALLEGATIONS AS BASELESS
In a statement on Thursday, the minister of information said the allegations were “baseless”.
“These claims exist solely in the realm of imagination, as Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France — or any other country — to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize the Niger Republic in the wake of the undemocratic change in the leadership of that country,” the statement reads.
Idris said despite Nigeria’s estranged relationship with Niger Republic owing to the military coup, Tinubu, as the ECOWAS chairman, has kept doors open for re-establishing ties with the francophone nation.
“Nigeria’s Armed Forces, in collaboration with partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force, are succeeding in curbing terrorism within the region,” the statement added.
“It is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Nigeria would conspire with any foreign power to undermine the peace and security of a neighbouring country.
“Neither the Nigerian government nor any of its officials has ever been involved in arming or supporting any terror group to attack Niger Republic.
“Furthermore, no part of Nigeria has been ceded to any foreign power for subversive operations in Niger Republic.”
Speaking on the allegations of colluding with Lakurawa, the information minister listed efforts by Nigerian troops to subdue the group.
“Recently, the Nigerian military launched Operation Forest Sanity III, specifically addressing the Lakurawa threat, Code Named Operation Chase Lakurawa Out,” he said.
“How can a government actively fighting the Lakurawa menace now be accused of harbouring the same group within its borders?
“These accusations lack credible evidence and seem to be part of a broader attempt to deflect attention from Niger’s internal challenges.”
Idris asked Niger’s coup leader to provide “substantial” evidence for the allegations, and warned that attempts to destabilse Nigeria would fail.
