Sahel states reject Tinubu’s claim that bloc's crisis worsening Nigeria’s insecurity
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has formally rejected claims by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu that instability in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger is the primary cause of Nigeria's insecurity. The AES countries argue that they face a shared regional threat and that blaming neighbors is inaccurate.
Why it matters
This diplomatic friction highlights the complex geopolitical tensions in West Africa and the challenges of regional security cooperation.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s claim that insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is worsening Nigeria’s security challenges.
The AES comprises Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and subsequently established their own regional bloc.
Tinubu had said some of the terrorists operating in Nigeria were foreigners, linking the country’s security challenges to instability in the three Sahelian countries.
“Some of them (the terrorists) are not Nigerian. You see, the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger only exacerbates our difficulties,” Tinubu had said during a meeting with traditional rulers from Oyo on July 31.
But in a statement published on Friday, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, said the four countries were facing a common security threat.
“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria face the same enemy,” Traoré said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in