• We warned Nigeria about Lakurawa terrorist group but they ignored us –Niger
• LND says claims too weighty to be ignored, demands investigation
By Chinelo Obogo
The President of Niger Republic, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchani, has alleged that the Federal Government was aware of the formation of the Lakurawa terrorist group but deliberately ignored it.
In an interview he granted TRT Afrika in Hausa, the military leader said he personally reached out to prominent Nigerian officials, including former National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director General, Ahmed Rufa’i and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and that the Federal Government sent a delegation to Niger Republic and spoke to the captured terrorists.
But the Federal Government dismissed the allegation as baseless and untrue. It said the claims exist only in the realm of imagination, saying that Nigeria never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France or any other country to sponsor terrorist attack or destablise Niger Republic.
The Niger military leader who accused France of complicity in funding and equipping Boko Haram alleged a collusion between Nigeria and France to destabilise his country.
“The Nigerian government was aware of the formation of the Lakurawa terrorist group but ignored it. We personally reached out to the NIA and the NSA to tell them and the government even sent a delegation.
“The delegation to Niamey spoke directly with the captured terrorists in Niger custody only for Niger to later find out that indeed the government was aware of the movement by France to create a space in between the Sokoto border with Zamfara to accommodate the new terrorists,” he alleged.
In a swift a reaction, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the claims exist solely in the realm of imagination and dismissed them as baseless.
in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, the minister said Nigeria had never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France or any other country to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilise Niger following undemocratic change in leadership of that country.
The minister said President Bola Tinubu, as Chairman of ECOWAS, had demonstrated exemplary leadership.
He said the president had kept the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engaging the Niger Republic in spite of the political situation in that country.
“Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger. Nigeria’s armed forces, in collaboration with partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force, are succeeding in curbing terrorism within the region.
“It is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Nigeria would conspire with any foreign power to undermine the peace and security of a neighbouring country.
“Neither the Nigerian government nor any of its officials has ever been involved in arming or supporting any terror group to attack Niger Republic.
“Furthermore, no part of Nigeria has been ceded to any foreign power for subversive operations in the Niger Republic.”
The minister reiterated the government’s full support for senior government officials for their untiring commitment to fostering peace and security between Nigeria and Niger.
“Indeed, Nigeria has a long-standing tradition of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Unlike some nations, Nigeria has never permitted foreign powers to establish military bases on its soil. This demonstrates our commitment to national independence and regional leadership.
“The accusation that Nigeria seeks to sabotage Niger’s pipelines and agriculture is both unfounded and counterproductive.
“Nigeria has consistently supported Niger’s economic development through joint energy and infrastructure projects, such as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and the Kano-Maradi Railway Project. It is illogical to suggest that Nigeria would undermine initiatives it has actively promoted.
“The claims about the alleged establishment of a so-called Lakurawa terrorist headquarters in Sokoto State, purportedly orchestrated by Nigeria in collaboration with France, are baseless.”
He said Nigeria had been a regional leader in combating terrorism, dedicating significant resources and lives to ensure stability in the Lake Chad Basin and beyond.
“Recently, the Nigerian military launched Operation Forest Sanity III, specifically addressing the Lakurawa threat, code named Operation Chase Lakurawa Out.
”How can a government actively fighting the Lakurawa menace now be accused of harbouring the same group within its borders?”
Idris said the accusations lacked credible evidence and seemed to be part of a broader attempt to deflect attention from Niger’s internal challenges.
“The public is urged to disregard these false allegations. Those making such claims, particularly the military leader in Niger Republic, must provide credible evidence to substantiate them. Any attempt to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s principled stance against the unconstitutional seizure of power in the Niger Republic is both disingenuous and doomed to fail.”
The minister insisted that Tchiani’s allegations were not only unfounded but also a dangerous attempt to divert attention from his administration’s shortcomings.
“Nigeria remains committed to fostering regional stability and will continue to lead efforts to address terrorism and other transnational challenges. We urge Niger to focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration rather than peddling baseless accusations,” Idris said.
Notwithstanding the denial, Tchani has insisted that since the French government became involved, knowing that Chadian military had targeted terrorists with airstrikes, they provided the terrorists with sophisticated weapons capable of bringing down military jets.
“It is France that gave the weapons to Boko Haram terrorists, so that if a Chadian military jet came to strike them, the terrorists could use the weapons provided by the French government to bring it down. They struck on October 16, when France supplied them with the weapons. The information we gathered from the terrorists we arrested indicated that there is an ongoing discussion, and Nigerian leaders are aware of it.
“There is a forest called ‘Gaba’ in Sokoto, where they are planning to establish an operational center for terrorists, named ‘Lakurawa. We received intelligence on March 4 that France and ISWAP were planning to set up an operational center in Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara to prepare positions for terrorist activities.”
Tchani further explained that one of the terrorists they arrested informed them that the Nigerian government is well aware of the operational centers for terrorists in Sokoto.
“However, we dismissed his claim as false because he was unwilling to allow us to share this information with the Nigerian government. As Niger and Nigeria are closely connected, we felt it was our responsibility to report any information that could be harmful. We reported what France was planning to do to the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, as we were unaware of these developments.
“He assured us that he would send personnel to gather more information. We took on their responsibilities, and there was no location we did not visit or have exclusive discussions with the arrested terrorists.
“The terrorists disclosed everything about France’s plans to establish a terrorist base in Sokoto. The intelligence was then returned to Nigeria.
“We later discovered that the person we contacted, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, is one of the individuals used by the West as a negotiator. He supervises the terrorists and is also sent to a country called the Central African Republic. If the terrorists are arrested, he is the one responsible for bailing them out, as well as handling their weapons and providing money for food. He oversees the entire process.
“After learning this, things began to fall apart. We had trusted the wrong people, and once we discovered the truth, we were left unsure of who to trust or confide in about the situation in Nigeria.
“Meanwhile, Nuhu Ribadu is aware of the entire issue, but everyone involved has kept silent about it. Having seen how things played out, we decided to take matters into our own hands. If the Lakurawa terrorists are arrested, we are now considering what to do.”
Tchani added that France has launched its base in Benin Republic to also monitor neighboring countries that oppose them.
Meanwhile, the League of Northern Democrats (LND) has expressed grave concern over the allegations.
In a statement by its spokesman, Dr. Ladan Salihu, LND challenged the Federal Government to come clean on the allegations, noting that they were too weighty to be swept under the carpet. It also urged the National Assembly to problem the claims.
The statement read: “Notwithstanding the poor diplomatic relations between Niger on the one hand and France and Nigeria on the other, these allegations, made by a sitting president with access to sensitive intelligence and specific information are too significant to be ignored as mere international politics. Considering the severe impact of Boko Haram’s insurgency on Northern Nigeria, these claims demand a transparent and immediate response from the Nigerian government to uphold national security and restore public trust. More so, with the current unusually close and intense personal and governmental relationship between President Tinubu and France, including signing of bilateral agreements, there are reasons to believe these accusations.
“We, therefore, respectfully call on the Federal Government, and Ahmed Rufa’i and Nuhu Ribadu, as esteemed northerners and public servants, to provide the nation – especially the North that is bearing the brunt of the insurgency – with concrete, cogent and verifiable evidence refuting or clarifying these allegations. Their silence risks further eroding the confidence of the people, most especially northerners. The government must clearly articulate its position, ensuring that no Nigerian official is unfairly implicated in activities undermining our nation’s sovereignty and stability.
“In addition, the LND urges the National Assembly to as a matter of national concern immediately constitute an investigative committee to probe these claims thoroughly. This matter transcends diplomatic relations; it touches the core of our national security and collective future. A transparent investigation will not only address the concerns of our citizens but also demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to honest leadership, peace and the preservation of its security, sovereignty and integrity in the international arena.