Traditional rulers and residents of border communities in Sokoto and Kebbi states have refuted claims made by the Nigerien leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, that Nigeria is hosting a French military base and training camps.
Correspondents from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited border communities in both states on Friday reported that no evidence supporting Tchiani’s claims was found.
In a Christmas Day interview, Tchiani asserted that Nigeria had provided a base for French soldiers near Lake Chad. He further claimed that training camps for terrorists had been set up in Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states, all allegedly aimed at destabilising Niger.
However, findings by NAN revealed no evidence of any training camps in these states bordering Niger, as claimed by Tchiani.
- Car Rams into Christian Procession in Gombe, Leaving Many Injured
- Nigerian Border Will Not Be Used to Attack you, Defence Chief Assures Niger, Cameroon, Chad, others
Alhaji Aminu Aliyu, the District Head of Balle, a border community in the Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, dismissed Tchiani’s allegations as unfounded. He stated that none of his subjects had reported any foreign soldiers or military camps in the area.
Malam Abdurahman Usman, another community leader, noted that Marake, Kurdula, and Bikini communities, situated between eight and 35 kilometres from Niger, had not observed any military camps. He emphasised that the people of Balle and other border communities maintained friendly relations with their counterparts in Niger, with no reports of military presence.
Malam Kabiru Muhammad, a resident of the Ruwa-wuri community in Tangaza Local Government Area, confirmed the presence of Lakurawa bandits at times, but not foreign military camps. “Lakurawa terrorists are being chased away by personnel from the Nigerian Army stationed in our area, but there is no foreign military camp here,” Muhammad stated.
Other residents of Tangaza, including Adamu Bagobiri, Yusuf Abubakar, and Ibrahim Kadadi, also denied seeing any military training camps in the area. They called on the Nigerien leader to strengthen the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Niger, as many in the area engage in intermarriages and business exchanges.
The Sarkin Arewan Araba, Alhaji Abubakar Yusufu, rejected claims of a village or forest called Gaba in his domain. Araba is a border community in Illela Local Government Area, less than two kilometres from Konni in Niger. He also denied the existence of a foreign military camp in the area, stating, “There is no such forest in Araba district or Illela Local Government, and we have yet to see any foreigners in our villages. These are merely idle rumours. Instead, it is the Nigerien military operatives who have been coming into our area every night.”
The district head advised the Nigerien leader to avoid making baseless allegations that could damage the historical ties between the two countries.
Another resident of Araba, Malam Muhammadu Danladi, labelled the allegations of training camps as an attempt to tarnish Nigeria’s reputation. “It’s a lie; there is no presence of foreigners in our community. These allegations are groundless,” he said.
Danladi also reported that Nigerien soldiers had been harassing Nigerians in border communities over the past six months, seizing goods without justification. “Their security operatives at the border have been harassing our people, but their own citizens have free access into our country to buy goods without being harassed,” he added. He called on the Nigerian government to take action to address this issue.
In Kebbi State, Alhaji Murtala Muhammad-Kaka, the District Head of Bayawa in Augie Local Government Area, dismissed the allegations of foreign military camps in his area. He described the claims as an attempt to disrupt the peace and stability enjoyed by border communities in both Niger and Nigeria. Condemning the Nigerien leader’s accusations as divisive, Muhammad-Kaka called for more initiatives to foster cooperation between the two countries. He acknowledged the presence of Lakurawa terrorists but praised the Nigerian Army for tackling the threat.
Muhammad-Kaka noted that Bayawa shares borders with several communities in Sokoto and Kebbi States and called for continued peaceful relations between these areas.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Muhammad Salah, the District Head of Kasaki, a border town in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State, praised the Federal Government for its efforts to secure the vast borders. He noted that no fewer than eight communities share borders with both Benin and Niger, with residents speaking the same Dandi dialect. Salah also highlighted the strong interwoven relationships between the communities, many of which have marital ties across the borders.
He denied knowledge of any foreign military camps and urged residents in the border areas to continue living in peace with each other.
Another resident, Malam Sidi Mustapha, stressed the need for increased preparedness to tackle cross-border security challenges such as terrorism, banditry, smuggling, and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
NAN also reported that Nigeria rejected the allegations made in a viral video by Tchiani, which claimed collusion between Nigeria and France to destabilise Niger. In a statement on Thursday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, dismissed the claims as purely imaginary. He reaffirmed that Nigeria had never engaged in any alliance with France or any other country to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilise Niger.
The minister further emphasised that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman of ECOWAS, had demonstrated exemplary leadership and kept the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engage with Niger despite the political challenges there.
“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,” he stated.
