Nigeria-Niger border towns live in fear over brewing row

 

•Communities in border states plead for peaceful resolution, debunk Niger leader’s claim of French troops in Nigeria

Some residents of communities in some states that share border with Niger Republic have expressed fears over the spat between Nigeria and its neigbouring country, The PUNCH reports.

In a Christmas Day interview, Niger’s military leader, Brig Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, accused Nigeria of colluding with France to destabilise the junta-led nation.

He claimed that Nigeria had provided a base for French soldiers near Lake Chad, adding that training camps had been established for terrorists in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, all aimed at destabilising Niger.

“Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this underhanded move,” Tchiani was quoted as saying by AFP.

But the Federal Government denied the claims, with National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, describing Tchiani’s allegations as “baseless” and “false,” while Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said the allegations were unfounded and a “diversionary tactic aimed at covering his (Tchiani) administration’s failures.”

As tensions between both neigbours soar, residents of border towns in both countries, who denied Tchiani’s claims, called for an urgent resolution of the row, expressing fears that it could truncate the peaceful atmosphere they’ve lived in over the years.

Some of the residents in the border towns in Sokoto State appealed to the governments of both nations to resolve their differences and ensure the protection of ordinary citizens.

While reacting to Tchiani’s allegations, the Magaji of Balle in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Muhammad Illiyasu, said the residents of the community had never seen French soldiers or other military in the area.

“I have been the Magaji of this community for over 30 years and I swear by the name of Allah, I haven’t seen the French Army in this place. I have never seen the Nigerien Army here, not to talk of the French’s.

“I want to appeal to the government of the two nations not to involve the masses in their politics. We’ve been living peacefully with our neighbours in the Republic of Nigeria for years without any rancour. We don’t want any problem with them and we don’t intend to have any, so they should please think of what to do and resolve it amicably.”

Muhammad Altine, a citizen of Niger Republic, who sells cattle at the Ruwa-Wuri market in Tangaza Local Government Area of the state, also dismissed the allegations of the French Army within the environment.

Altine said he had been selling cattle in the market for over 20 years, hence he had no reason not to know what was going on within the vicinity.

Hassan Tabani of Tabani Siddi village in Gada LG, another border community between Sokoto and Niger Republic, pointed out the harsh lessons that were learnt by the border communities when Nigeria closed its borders to Niger Republic following the Economic Community of West African States sanctions from 2023 to 2024 after Tchiani toppled Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s democratically elected leader, in a military coup.

The sanctions include closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from the country; suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between both countries, as well as freezing of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic.

According to Tabani, a trans-border trader, socioeconomic activities broke down between both nations, which affected businesses within the region.

“As a family head whose livelihood depends on inter-border trade, I never pray for any altercation between Nigeria and Niger Republic again because of what we passed through during the border closure; business went down and we barely managed to survive,” he said.

He blamed Tchiani over what he termed “unsubstantiated allegation”, and prayed that the issue would be resolved soon.

“Though we learnt lessons on survival strategies during the border sanctions on Niger Republic by ECOWAS, a large percentage of their trade and economy depends on Nigeria.

“Honestly, Tchiani made a reckless and unsubstantiated allegation. I am sure good reasoning will prevail and Nigeria will continue to play its big brother role in Africa.”

Trade between Nigeria and Niger only bounced in March after ECOWAS imposed the measures following the July 26, 2023 military coup that ousted Mohamed Bazoum.