THE Federal Government has denied allegations by the head of Niger’s junta, Abdourahamane Tchiani, that Nigeria is preparing a military base for France in the North.
Responding to the allegations, the Federal Government, through the national security adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, declared on Thursday, December 26, that Nigeria had never and would never allow any foreign military base in the country.
In a Christmas Day broadcast, Tchiani accused Nigeria of harbouring the armed Lakurawa terrorist group and also plotting to destabilise his country.
Ribadu, while speaking on the BBC Hausa Service, denied the allegation.
According to him, Nigeria has maintained peaceful relationships with its neighbouring countries, including Chad, Benin, and Cameroon.
He said this commitment to regional harmony was rooted in Nigeria’s foreign policy principles, which emphasised African unity, non-interference, and peaceful dispute resolution.
Regarding the claim of France having a military base in Nigeria, the NSA noted that Nigeria had a history of rejecting requests for military bases from foreign powers, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
He explained that this stance reflected Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining its sovereignty and independence.
Ribadu said the Niger leader did not want Nigeria to have anything to do with France because of his country’s alliance with Russia, stressing that Nigeria would continue to make friends with any country that could contribute to its economy’s potential, including Russia, USA, France and Brazil among others.
“Unlike Niger, who had given their base to several foreign military bases, Nigeria has not and will never do such.
“Nigeria will continue to be a friend to the people of Niger Republic regardless of the current situation,” the NSA said.
The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, has also rejected Tchiani’s allegations.
According to Idris, in a statement on Thursday, the military leader’s claims were purely imaginative.
Idris emphasised that Nigeria had never collaborated with France or any other nation to support terrorist activities or destabilise the Niger Republic.
He also highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s “exemplary leadership” as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), adding that the President had maintained an open dialogue with the Niger Republic despite the ongoing crisis.
He added that Nigeria remained committed to fostering peace, harmony, and strong diplomatic relations with Niger and had achieved significant successes in combating terrorism in the region through its armed forces and collaboration with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Meanwhile, ECOWAS has backed Nigeria against allegations by the Niger leader.
The ECOWAS Commission rejected the allegations, calling them unfounded, and expressed concern over the accusations in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
The commission said it stood firmly with Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states against allegations that they sponsored terrorism.
ECOWAS said for years, Nigeria had supported peace and security in several countries, not only in the West African sub-region but also across the African continent.
The regional body added that 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 commission also called on all states in the region to promote dialogue and stability and to refrain from making baseless accusations,” the statement read.
The ICIR reports that Niger Republic is among three member states that pulled out of ECOWAS recently because of the the regional bloc’s position on putsches that brought their leaders into power.
A reporter with the ICIR
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