Niger accuses France of bribing Nigeria to establish base in Borno to destabilised Sahel states
Maureen Aguta
Niger Republic’s Head of State, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has accused France of offering financial support to Nigerian authorities to establish a military base in Borno State with the intention of destabilizing Niger and its neighboring countries. The allegation was shared by counterterrorism expert Zagazola Makama in a post on his X handle on Wednesday.
During a recent address, General Tiani claimed that France had been involved in a broader plot to destabilize the region. He said that the French government had allegedly provided funds to Nigerian officials to set up the base in Borno, a region already troubled by insurgency and violence. Tiani stated that the goal of this initiative was to create instability not only within Niger but also across the borders with Nigeria, Benin, and Burkina Faso.
Tiani further revealed that the Gaba Forest, located on the border between Sokoto State in Nigeria and Niger, was reportedly chosen as a base by terrorists linked to France and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). According to the Nigerien leader, these groups were being used as pawns in a wider strategy orchestrated by France to destabilize the region. He added that Niger’s authorities, including figures such as Nuhu Ribadu and Ahmed Abubakar Rufa’i, had been informed of the supposed conspiracy.
The allegations reflect the growing tension between Niger and France, which has been exacerbated since the military coup in Niger in July 2023. Since the coup, the military junta, led by General Tiani, has accused France of interfering in Niger’s internal affairs and supporting factions opposed to the new government. These accusations have marked a significant deterioration in relations between the two countries, once bound by colonial history.
While the claims made by General Tiani have not been substantiated with concrete evidence, security expert Zagazola Makama noted that they fit within a broader narrative aimed at isolating Nigeria from its long-standing ties with France. He suggested that the Nigerien leader’s statements might be more speculative than factual, serving as a strategic move to cast blame on external forces for regional instability.
Makama also expressed concern that such accusations could harm diplomatic relations between Niger and Nigeria, both of which have shared interests in maintaining peace and stability in the Sahel region. He warned that these unproven allegations could fuel unnecessary tensions between nations that are working together to address security challenges in the region, particularly in the fight against extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP.