Nigeria has rejected accusations from Niger that it is serving as a base for activities aimed at destabilizing its neighbor.
In a statement released over the weekend, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed allegations that the Lakurawa terrorist group, with alleged assistance from foreign security forces, including Nigerian forces, was responsible for the December 13, 2024, attack on the Niger-Benin oil pipeline in Gaya, Dosso region of Niger.
The ministry also refuted claims of the presence of French soldiers in northern Nigeria preparing to destabilize Niger’s government, labeling the allegations “unfounded and to be totally ignored.”
This response followed a protest lodged by Niger’s Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangaré, who summoned Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires in Niamey to express Niger’s concerns. According to Nigerien state television, Sangaré accused Nigeria of continuing to act as a “rear base for the destabilization of Niger.”
The allegations and subsequent denials highlight growing tensions between the two nations amid ongoing regional security challenges.