Alleged Destabilisation: Niger Summons Nigerian Diplomat

The Foreign Minister of Niger Republic, Bakary Yaou Sangare, has summoned the charge d’affaires at the Nigerian embassy over the accusation that Nigeria is serving as a rear base to destabilise the nation.

Since the military took over the country in 2023 and broke away from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, relations between Nigeria and its northern Sahel neighbour Niger have been tensed.

Recall that Nigeria’s President and head of ECOWAS bloc, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had considered a regional military intervention to reinstate ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.

However, ties warmed in August when Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city and its Niger’s counterpart, Niamey resumed security cooperation that had been put on hold since the coup.

The relations have, however, soured again with the fresh claims, leading to the summoning of the Nigerian charge d’affaires on Wednesday.

“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”, Bakary Yaou Sangare said in a statement.

In a meeting with Niger’s army chief in late August, Nigeria’s top military commander had agreed not to destabilise Niger or any of its neighbours.

According to a military statement, Niger affirmed its readiness to resume active participation in security cooperation under the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJT.

The task force, involving Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, has been key in battling jihadist groups active along the border areas of the four countries.

Niger’s military government is fighting jihadists linked to the Islamic State group, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram in the western Tillaberi region and in the southeastern Diffa area near Nigeria.

Since the 2023 coup, Niger has sought closer ties with its neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, which also have military governments and with whom it has forged a strategic confederation; the Alliance of Sahel States, AES.

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