The latest diplomatic spat between Nigeria and Niger Republic has sent shock waves to many communities around the borders in the northern part of the country, Weekend Trust reports.

The development has added tension to the uncertainty over the decision by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which was finally approved by the regional body on December 14.

Locals and community leaders said the deteriorating situation would impede social cohesion and economic stability of border communities within Nigeria and Niger.

As it stands, three out of the 15 countries that make up the ECOWAS bloc would formally be allowed to commence the process of disengagement from the economic bloc from January 29, 2025.

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have for a year now signified their willingness to go separate ways from ECOWAS, given rise to apprehensions of the effect on the economic, cultural and social planks of several communities across not less than seven states in Nigeria that share boundaries directly and indirectly with them. The states include Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno.

The new twist introduced by Wednesday night?s outburst by the Nigerien military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has further dashed any hope of reconciliation between ECOWAS and the three countries.

As it is, the comments by Tchiani, where he accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of conniving with France to destabilise Niger Republic and named some of Nigeria?s intelligence chiefs, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and a former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, as aiding and abetting terrorists to destabilise his country, has further provoked Nigeria, whose president was hitherto pushing for reconciliation.

The federal government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had on Thursday described Niger junta?s allegations as baseless.

On Friday, Ribadu had in an interview with the Hausa Service of the BBC, described the allegations by Niger as totally incorrect.

Tchiani, among other allegations, said France promised to give Tinubu a certain amount of money in exchange for him to cede an area in Borno State for French military deployment.

?President Tinubu should come out and tell Nigerians how much he collected from France. If he refuses to do so, there will be a day of reckoning. Allah is watching.

?ECOWAS has been out of control. It has merely become a puppet of the French authorities. France dictates to it as it pleases. This is because the leaders of ECOWAS countries are power-hungry people,? he said.

The Nigerien leader added that the Nigerian president, his counterparts in Benin, Senegal and C?te d?Ivoire all go to France whenever elections were around to ask for funds to contest elections; hence do not have the temerity to say no to the French president.

He accused France of arming Boko Haram fighters in the Lake Chad region with anti-aircraft weapons in order to combat Chadian forces.

?And by the way, Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this underhand move. It is near a forest close to Sokoto, where they wanted to establish a terrorist stronghold known as Lakurawa. The French and ISWAP made this deal on March 4, 2024,? he said.

We?ll never sabotage our neighbours ? Ribadu

In his interview with the BBC, Ribadu dismissed allegations by General Tchiani, that Nigeria allowed France to establish a military base in the country, saying it is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

?There is no reason for Nigeria to harm or sabotage Niger Republic. We are living peacefully with all our neighbours, including Chad, Benin and Cameroon,? he said.

He said Nigeria maintained a policy of neutrality and sovereignty in its international dealings, emphasising that even powerful nations such as the United States and the United Kingdom have been denied military bases in the country.

?The USA had requested to establish a military base in Nigeria and we rejected the request. If we didn?t allow our former coloniser, the United Kingdom such an opportunity, why would we give it to France?? Ribadu questioned.

While asking journalists to independently verify the allegations, Ribadu said that instead, it was Niger that hosted multiple foreign military bases, including those of France and USA.

?I challenge journalists across the world to visit the locations mentioned by Niger?s president and confirm if there is any foreign military base there,? he said.

He reiterated Nigeria?s commitment to the people of Niger despite the current strained relation between the two governments.

?We remain a friend to the people of Niger Republic regardless of the current situation. Our focus is on ensuring peace and stability in the region,? he added.

On Thursday, the information minister, Idris, said all the allegations made by the Nigerien leader were solely in the realm of his imagination.

On the alleged involvement of the former director-general of the NIA, Rufai, a retired operative of the agency, who spoke off the record, said it was unthinkable for the former spymaster, and by extension Nigeria which he served, to do something untoward.

He said:?Put the relationship (between Nigeria and Niger) in perspective. Throughout their history as independent nations, Nigeria has provided billions of dollars? worth of material assistance, including thousands of tonnes of food, paying salaries and funding elections to its brotherly nation, Niger. Some of the statistics are online, but the vast majority was done quietly.

?Now, go back and check. What did Niger pay Nigeria with? The greatest economic sabotage against Nigeria in form of smuggling comes through Niger. Nigeria?s oil is constantly being smuggled to and through Niger to all parts of Africa, including southern Algeria. And the country blatantly refused to do anything about it.

?Nigerien authorities have always taken delight in confiscating the wealth of Nigerians for the flimsiest of reasons. Recall that the biggest destinations of stolen cars from Nigeria were unabashedly Niger and Benin Republic. You will see your stolen car and government would officially tell you that the only assistance they can render is to beg the thief to ?sell? the car to you. Tchiani today wants to justify military rule in Niger.?

On the allegations around the Lakurawa terrorists, the NIA source said, ?Let?s take Lakurawa. It is a Hausanised word, derived from the French ?Le Recruit? of the al-Qaeda organisation. The main base of al-Qaeda in West Africa is the tri-border region, the Liptako-Gourma area that sits astride Niger/Burkina Faso/Mali. From there, they penetrate Nigeria?s Sokoto and Kebbi states as their main source of criminal fund raising. Until the military, for their own reasons, made the issue public, Nigeria?s security services have been fighting them quietly. But the issue is clear?they penetrate Nigeria from Niger to raise funds.

?For Tchiani to turn the facts on their heads in order to justify a military intervention is to say the least, absurd,? he said.

FG?s response not good enough ? Northern democrats

But in a new statement yesterday, the League of Northern Democrats (LND) said the federal government?s response to the accusations by Niger?s military leader, at close scrutiny, was not good enough as it only raised more questions than it answered.

?A critical analysis of the government?s denial and its supporting arguments reveals significant gaps in logic and veracity,? the League noted in a statement signed by its spokesman, Dr Ladan Salihu.

?The government categorically denies colluding with France to destabilise Niger. However, France?s track record in Africa ? supporting insurgencies and covert operations to secure resources ? casts doubt on this outright dismissal. If Nigeria is fully committed to combating terrorism as claimed, the government must explain how insurgent groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to acquire sophisticated weapons, including drones, which are typically accessible only through state-sponsored channels or illicit global arms networks.

?The assertion that President Tinubu has demonstrated exemplary leadership as ECOWAS chairman is contradicted by the deepening tensions among ECOWAS member states, where five countries have severed ties with France, leading to three states leaving the regional body.

?Nigeria?s support for ECOWAS sanctions and even military invasion against Niger following the military coup undermines this claim of fostering peace. These sanctions have exacerbated the suffering of ordinary Nigeriens and strained bilateral relations, indicating a misalignment between rhetoric and actions. In fact, but for the refusal of the EU and the international community, President Tinubu had openly called for military invasion of Niger, fully backed by France,? the group stated.

ECOWAS defends Nigeria against Niger?s allegations

The ECOWAS yesterday refuted claims by Niger Republic that Nigeria and some ECOWAS member states were colluding with France to sponsor terrorism against the country.

ECOWAS made this known in a statement issued by its spokesman, Jo?l Ahofodji, describing the allegations by Niger as ?unfounded and unsubstantiated.?

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while dismissing the Sahel country?s allegations as unfounded and unsubstantiated, ECOWAS emphasised that it was solidly behind Nigeria and the accused member states.

?The commission stands firmly by Nigeria and ECOWAS member states against the allegations that they are sponsoring terrorism.

?For years, Nigeria has supported peace and security of several countries, not only in the West African sub-region but also on the African continent,? it stated.

According to ECOWAS, recent successes recorded by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which Nigeria leads, demonstrate the country?s commitment to peace and security across the region.

?ECOWAS, therefore, refutes any suggestion that such a generous and magnanimous country would become a state-sponsor of terrorism,? it added.

The commission further urged all ECOWAS member states to refrain from making accusations that are not supported by any evidence, and instead promote sub-regional dialogue and stability.

ECOWAS was established in 1975 to enable member states achieve collective self-sufficiency through the creation of a single large trade bloc by building a full economic and trading union.

Over the years, member states, through such collaborative efforts, have been able to enhance interactions amongst citizens and even formed joint operations to tackle security threats.

But recent events in the Sahel region, especially the sack of democratic structures in some countries and the return to military rule, provoked a harsh reaction from the regional body.

Tension between ECOWAS and the three countries spiked after the group threatened a military intervention over a July 2023 coup in Niger ? the region?s sixth in three years? and imposed heavy sanctions on the country and demanded for the restoration of democratic structures there.

Since the reaction by ECOWAS, the other countries under military rule came together and formed a bloc to resist what they perceive as interference in their internal affairs.

However, after public condemnation, the ECOWAS, in March, lifted some of the sanctions imposed on Niger in a bid to restart dialogue, especially over the fate of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since the coup took place.

At the last ECOWAS meeting in Abuja, the organisation noted the three countries? decision to withdraw from the bloc, stating that they would officially cease to be members from January 2025.

Weekend Trust learnt that this is according to ECOWAS regulations, part of which stipulates that notifications to withdraw can only take effect one year after the announcement, which comes in January.

To prove that their decision is irreversible, the three countries have gone ahead to form their own confederation known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). They have also severed ties with France and have been warming up to Russia. Not only that, the three countries have also dumped the ECOWAS travel documents and printed their own uniform international passport.

Impacts on Nigeria/Niger communities

Weekend Trust reports that the pronouncement by the Nigerien leader is already having a negative impact on the communities along the border lines in the two countries.

While there were uncertainties over the earlier situation, the comments of Tchiani have removed any doubt that border communities would enter into a new era next year, where they would be compelled to deal with the consequences of the hostilities between Nigeria and Niger.

Communities within the seven states that are close to the borders share very deep cultural and economic affinities with Niger Republic, directly and indirectly with Mali and Burkina Faso.

With the exit of the three countries from ECOWAS, trans-border movements, which enhance trade and commerce, would be hampered, as experts said the protocol on free movement was bound to be affected.

Weekend Trust learnt that some of the communities are so close that it is easy to find members of one family living across the two countries.

It is from such interactions that Nigeria gets its supply of livestock and grains; hence, it is feared that once restrictions are placed on movements, the free flow of such goods would be hampered.

There are also fears that security situation in northern Nigeria may be affected due to difficulty in fostering joint military operations, unlike when Nigeria and those countries were under one regional bloc.

Also, the exit of the three countries could have a major impact on free trade in a region where terror groups are gaining ground across the Sahel.

Respected traditional rulers and elder statesmen from Nigeria had, within the last year, visited Niamey to amend the strained relationship between the two countries, to no avail.

Kebbi

A community leader in the Kamba area of Kebbi State, Usman El Yakubu, told Weekend Trust yesterday that the Niger authorities were already imposing restrictions on movement of goods and services around its borders in Kamba and Dole Kaina.

He said: ?Two weeks ago, the Nigerien government announced its plan to erect an electric fence from its border in Kebbi, down to Borno State. This is over a thousand kilometres.

?This is a clear indication of how the relationship between Niger and Nigeria had been strained. In few months to come, going through the two countries will be difficult. Trading, agriculture and social relationship in border communities of the two countries will be further affected negatively,? he said.

Another community leader and former councillor in the area, Abubakar Gado, said the strained relationship between Nigeria and Niger was already affecting the border communities.

?There are communities here that are merely separated from Niger by gutter or electric poles. Some of us have one wife from Niger side and another from Nigeria, the same thing with the people of Niger. The spat between the two governments is already straining our relationship with the women we married from Niger.

?At Dole Kaina, there is a river that both Nigeriens and Nigerians use for fishing. However, because of the situation between the two countries, it is becoming difficult for the fishermen of the two countries. We are gradually facing some social, economic, humanitarian and agricultural difficulties.

?If nothing is done urgently, the situation between the two countries will collapse the long relationship that exists between people of Kebbi State and their Niger brothers,? he said.

Prior to recent happenings, Kamba, a community in Kebbi State, which is considered an economic gateway because of its border outlets with both Niger and Benin Republic, has begun feeling the impact.

A mini border market, which holds on Sundays, is situated in the heart of the town and is usually a beehive of trading activities due to the influx of traders and buyers from Niger, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali and other North African countries.

The border town of Kamba is strategically located for the convenience of traders and travellers from different parts of North African countries.

Because of its unique location, the Federal Government of Nigeria, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, planned to establish an international border market or export processing zone at Kamba, but that proposal is yet to materialise.

Now, there are concerns that the ongoing diplomatic issues between Niger Republic and ECOWAS, and Nigeria, by extension, with many African traders, may cease to exist.

A trader in the mini border market, Usman Shehu, explained how things would change. He said, ?Everybody is aware of the economic benefits we are achieving through this cordial and mutual relationship, so this may be affected.?

But a community elder at Dole-Kaina, Isah Abubakar, told our correspondent that they were not aware of any difference between them and Nigeriens.

?We don?t often realise that we belong to different countries. You can see how we live together here in one community that belongs to two different countries. I have three wives and one of them is a Nigerien. We just live our lives here as one community.

The district head of Kamba, Alhaji Mahmudu Zarumai, told Weekend Trust that residents of Kamba in Niger and Benin Republic did not see themselves as different people.

He said: ?To further appreciate the name, Dandi, which is the symbol of our unity, there is a recent grouping of Dandi Ganda formed by Nigeria, Niger and Benin Republic. It is a cooperative society for the development of Dandi and its people.

?The collapse of the Songhai Empire gave rise to Kabbi Kingdom, where we belong. Culturally, our ties with Niger and Benin are such that we see each other as the same family. That is why we created the Border/Local Government Cooperative Society; and we meet from time to time to discuss our problems, how to improve our togetherness, security and other ways of living together peacefully.?

A former local government chairman in the area and former Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Samaila Abdulmumini Kamba, said they had a common platform called the Dandi Association.

?We share a common border. And our people and their people live together as brothers and sisters. We share the same entity with Niger, we marry among them and they marry from us. We also go there to build houses because we are the same. We have the Hausa/Fulani, Zabarma and others. We share the same culture and tradition. During Sallah, we celebrate the Zaro festival and other festivities together,? he said. (Weekend Trust)