The military president of the Niger Republic, Abdourahamane Tchiani, has accused the Nigerian government of failing to act on intelligence reports concerning the activities of the Lakurawa terrorist group.
Speaking in an interview aired by Niger Television and monitored on TRT TV, Tchiani alleged that Niger shared intelligence about a plot by the French government to establish terror camps in Sokoto State. He claimed the Nigerian authorities compromised the report, resulting in the increased activities of the group in the region.
“We arrested some top leaders of the Lakurawa terrorist group, and they shared with us a plot by the French government to set up a camp in a village called Gaba in Sokoto State,” Tchiani said.
He disclosed that the plot was formalized in an agreement between the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the French government, signed on March 4, 2024.
“The forest in Gaba was to serve as an operational base for the terrorists to carry out their activities in Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi states,” he said.
Tchiani added that Niger’s government alerted Nigerian authorities, including Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the office of the National Security Adviser.
“The NIA promised to investigate the matter and sent a delegation to verify the allegations. They visited prisons in Niamey and engaged with detained terrorists, who confirmed the plot,” Tchiani said.
However, he alleged that the intelligence was compromised, leaving the region vulnerable to terrorist activities.
“This compromise is why we are now seeing an upsurge in terrorist activities in the region,” he said.
Efforts to get a reaction from Nigerian authorities on the allegations have been unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The development comes amid heightened security concerns along the Niger-Nigeria border, with both countries battling insurgency and cross-border crimes.
