Niger Republic’s Head of State, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has accused France of providing financial support to Nigeria with the goal of establishing a military base in Borno State. According to Tiani, this alleged move is aimed at destabilising not only Niger but also its neighbouring countries, further deepening the region’s security crisis.
Tiani’s claims signal a major escalation in the already fraught relationship between Niger and its former colonial power, France, especially following the July 2023 military coup that ousted the elected government in Niger.
General Tiani’s allegations are centered around claims that France has allegedly offered Nigerian authorities a significant financial incentive to set up a military installation in Borno, a northeastern state in Nigeria. According to the Nigerien leader, the purpose of this base would be to instigate further instability within the Sahel region, destabilizing not only Niger but also neighboring nations such as Benin and Burkina Faso.
Tiani’s assertions point to the Gaba Forest, which straddles the border between Nigeria’s Sokoto State and Niger, as a key site of interest for what he describes as “terrorists recruited by France and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).” The alleged plan, as Tiani describes it, involves the recruitment of insurgents who are being financed by France to set up operations along these sensitive border regions.
“We have informed Nigerian authorities, including Nuhu Ribadu and Ahmed Abubakar Rufa’i, about this massive conspiracy that France is trying to implement. The objective is clear: to destabilise our countries. It’s becoming apparent that we have made a grave error in choosing the right interlocutors,” Tiani was quoted as saying.
This new round of accusations from Tiani is not an isolated incident but rather the latest in a string of similar claims aimed at France. Following the coup in 2023, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and plunged Niger into political turmoil, Tiani’s government has persistently accused France of meddling in the internal affairs of Niger, often in favor of groups opposed to the ruling junta.
In recent months, the Nigerien government has also accused France of supporting rebel factions within Niger, with the aim of undermining the junta’s authority. These claims appear to be part of a broader narrative of alienation from former colonial powers, particularly as Tiani’s administration has sought to distance itself from France’s influence in the region.
Zagazola Makama, the counterterrorism expert, noted that these accusations reflect growing distrust between Niger and France, especially as the latter’s influence wanes in West Africa due to its shifting geopolitical strategies.
According to Makama, Tiani’s allegations represent a growing narrative of isolation between Niger and its neighbours, particularly Nigeria. This rhetoric could be part of a broader strategy aimed at pulling Nigeria into a confrontation with France. The expert speculates that while these allegations are potentially grounded in political strategy, there remains no clear evidence to substantiate them.
“These claims appear to be speculative and part of a wider agenda to isolate Nigeria, which has long had strong ties with France,” said Makama. He warned that such persistent allegations without evidence could severely damage diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Niger, two countries that are vital players in efforts to stabilize the Sahel.
General Tiani’s accusations come at a time of rising tension in the Sahel region. The region has seen an uptick in instability, fueled by the activities of extremist groups and the ongoing conflict in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. France, once the dominant European power in the Sahel, has gradually begun to reduce its military presence in the area due to increasing hostility toward its forces, particularly after the coups in Mali and Burkina Faso.
The presence of extremist groups like al-Qaeda and ISWAP in the region has exacerbated tensions, prompting regional powers like Nigeria, Chad, and Niger to seek enhanced security cooperation. However, the political instability in Niger has complicated these efforts, with Tiani’s government trying to navigate both regional threats and growing opposition from France.
Tiani’s government has also had to contend with the repercussions of its decision to expel French ambassador Sylvain Itté in 2023, a move that was seen as a symbolic gesture of rejecting French influence in Niger. The expulsion was part of a broader series of anti-France measures, which also included the suspension of French military operations in the country.
