Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has waded into the recent accusations made by Niger Republic President Abdourahamane Tchiani, suggesting that President Bola Tinubu was conniving with France to disrupt Niger Republic.

In an interview with Radio-Télévision du Niger, Tchiani stated that the Lakurawa terrorist group, with the help of foreign security forces, including Nigeria, was responsible for the attack on the Niger-Benin oil pipeline on December 13, 2024, in Gaya, Dosso Region of Niger Republic.

In response, Fani-Kayode dismissed the claims, saying that Nigeria is not a part of the western powers sponsoring terrorist organisations to wreak havoc on the West African subregion.

FFK stated that Nigeria does not need to collaborate with France and the Lakurawa terrorist organization to destabilize Niger Republic.

Taking to his X page, Fani-Kayode wrote: “If Nigeria wanted to destabilise Niger Republic I do not believe that we would need France or any terrorist organisation to do so.

“I have maintained that the western powers are behind the terrorist groups that have plagued the West African sub region over the last 15 years and for the last ten years I have publicly stated this and given my reasons.

“I am equally certain that Nigeria, being one of the major victims of these terrorist organisations, has had no part in it and that no Nigerian President, past or present, has indulged in such grave and dangerous actions.

“The Nigerien Military Head of State, Abdourahamane Tchiani, would do well to be careful not to provoke our wrath with his absurd assertions and remain mindful of the fact that the defence budget for his country, Mali and Burkina Faso COMBINED is not up to 25% of Nigeria’s.

“Tchiani’s grave allegations that President Tinubu and NSA Nuhu Ribadu have been bought by the French to destabilise Niger Republic, that our Government is jointly sponsoring a terrorist group with France to do same and that there are French military bases in Nigeria are infantile, puerile, mendacious and asinine.

“It is a squalid attempt by the Nigerien Head of State to sow the seeds of dissention in our country, to alienate our people from constituted authority, to divide our people and to undermine the Tinubu administration.

“It is also highly provocative and the FG should consider the possibility of taking other more extreme measures if this reckless provocation continues.

“We are under no obligation to show restraint when we are being undermined and maligned.”