BBC Pidgin of Friday, 27 December 2024

Source: BBC

Reaction from Nigeria, ECOWAS after Niger accuse di kontri of terrorism

Nigeria President Bola Tinubu/ Military leader of Niger, Abdourahamane Tchiani Nigeria President Bola Tinubu/ Military leader of Niger, Abdourahamane Tchiani

Nigeria goment don tok say di allegations wey di goment of Niger Republic sama dem no be true.

Dis dey come afta one viral video wey dey circulate on social media show as di military leader of Niger Republic bin dey grant interview to one journalist.

Di viral video show as General Abdourahamane Tchiani dey tok for Hausa language wia e accuse Nigeria of sabotaging dia pipeline near di towns of Dioundiou, Lido and Karakara, for di Dosso region.

Niger don also claim say French sojas from France dey Nigeria already, same wit British sojas wey dey setup foreign military bases for Gigani and Gajigana

Wetin General Abdourahamane Tchiani tok

Inside di interview for di viral video the military leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani tok say "di report we get from senior terrorists wey we bin capture tok say dem dey discuss one plan, and Nigerian leaders dey aware of am. Dem tok say e get one forest wey be 'Gaba' near Sokoto.

Dem dey plan to turn dis forest into a place for di terrorists wey be 'Lakurawa.' Dem don already make agreement on March 4th between France and ISWAP, not Boko Haram.

Di agreement na to open di forest for di Lakurawa group and oda terrorists to stay for di bush and spread into Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi states.

But dem bin tell us say Nigerian leaders know about am. Wen dem bin tell us, we dismiss am as lies.

Since we bin no want anyone to get harm especially Nigeria, we no keep am as secret. We bin call dia former leader wey gada reports on insecurity, Ahmed Abubakar Rufa'i, to report to am and tell am wetin France bin dey plan. Im tok say im go send pipo to gada more information.

"Im send pipo, and we bin support dem. Dem bin go tok to di terrorists wey we bin capture for different places in Niger.

Di terrorists confam di plan of France to dem. Den di team return to Nigeria wit dis report.

Later, we find out say Ahmed Abubakar Rufa'i, di person we report di mata to, bin also dey among di pipo wey dey help di terrorists.

Im bin dey send dem for training in Central Afriq, and wen dem return, im go give dem weapons, food, and anytin wey dem need. By di time we discover dis, e don dey too late." E tok.

Im also sama accuse ontop di head of Nigeria security oga Nuhu Ribadu.

"Nuhu Ribadu, di National Security Adviser to Tinubu, also know about dis but im keep silent. Na wen we realise say problem dey.

Nigeria get di power to send pipo to investigate di Gaba forest. I bin spend four months for dis place and know evritin about am.

Investigations don confam say France dey involved. Foreigners don name di place 'Canada' and bring pipo from nearby states.

From Maiduguri, road dey to Mungunu, wey lead to Baga, and from dia, you fit go to Chad. For dis place, di French don recruit locals to work for dem, wit di knowledge of Nigerian leaders." Di general allege.

E add say evribody know about am. Only Ghana fit no know, but kontris like Nigeria and Benin dey aware.

'No part of Nigeria dey ceded to any foreign power' - Nigeria government reply

According to Nigeria goment, noting dey corect about dis tori as dem describe am as 'imagaination'

"Dis claims exist only for di realm of imagination, as Nigeria neva engage in any overt or covert alliance wit France - or any oda kontri - to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize Niger Republic in di wake of di undemocratic change for di leadership of dat kontri."

Di statement add say President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wey be di Chairman of Ecowas, don show beta leadership by example as im keep di doors of di sub-regional body open to re-engaging Niger Republic despite di political situation for di kontri

"Nigeria remain committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties wit Niger.

Nigeria Armed Forces, in collaboration wit partners for di Multinational Joint Task Force, dey succeed in reducing terrorism within di region. E dey absurd to suggest say Nigeria go conspire wit any foreign power to undermine di peace and security of a neighbouring kontri."

Di statement kontinu to explain say Nigerian goment nor any of dia officials no eva dey involved in arming or supporting any terror group to attack Niger Republic.

"Furthermore, no part of Nigeria dey ceded to any foreign power for subversive operations in Niger Republic. We reiterate our full support to senior Nigerian goment officials for dia untiring commitment to fostering peace and security between di goment and pipo of Nigeria and Niger, and for dia efforts towards stronger cooperation for di Ecowas region.

Wetin Ecowas tok

Meanwhile, di Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) don chook mouth for di allegations against Nigeria and oda member states of di commission.

For statement, di commission say dem stand wit Nigeria and oda member states against di allegations say dem dey sponsor terrorism.

"For years, Nigeria don support peace and security of many kontris no be only for di West Africa sub-region for also for di African continent.

Di recent successes of di Multinational Joint Task Force(MNJTF) wey Nigeria dey lead, demonstrate di commitment of di kontri to peace and security across di region."

Di regional bloc add say dem reject any suggestions wey tok say Nigeria dey sponsor terrorism.

"Ecowas diafore refute any suggestion say a generous and magnanimous kontri go becom a state-sponsor of terrorism." di statement conclude.

Nigeria and Ecowas dey get some issues wit three West African states

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Republic wey pullout from di Ecowas bloc.

Di Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) say dem go formally stop di membership of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from di organisation on January 29, 2025.

Dis na part of di decision wey dem reach for di 66th Ordinary Session of di Ecowas Authority of Heads of State and Government, wey happun for Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Nigeria on Sunday.

Na Omar Touray wey be di President of di Ecowas Commission read out di announcement.

Touray say dem bin don take note of di notification by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic of di decision to withdraw from Ecowas.

"Di authority gree say in accordance wit di provisions of Article 91 of di Revised Ecowas Treaty, di three kontris go officially cease to be members of Ecowas from January 29, 2025," e tok.

Dis na after di different coups for di countries wey unseat democratically elected leaders.