Nigeria’s president criticised over Sahel security comments

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, met Thursday with Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Ouagadougou following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s controversial remarks on security in the Sahel, diplomatic sources confirmed Friday.

Attended by Mali and Niger’s Chargés d’Affaires, the meeting underscored the three Sahel States’ united stance.

On July 30, during a gathering with Nigerian traditional leaders, President Tinubu linked the surge in kidnappings and terrorist attacks in Nigeria to what he described as the “collapse” of security in neighboring Sahel nations. This claim was highlighted in a statement by Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry.

The ministry’s statement emphasized that the Nigerian leader had told traditional leaders: “Some of these terrorists are not Nigerian. You see, the insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is worsening our challenges.”

Burkina Faso’s top diplomat strongly rejected this assessment, arguing it “ignores the immense sacrifices” made daily by the region’s defense and security forces, as well as civilian populations, in the fight against terrorism.

Traoré stressed that such oversimplified analysis reflects a concerning bias from Nigeria’s highest authority. He called for a more nuanced understanding of the security context rather than attributing regional instability to neighboring countries, warning that this could deepen misunderstandings and frustrations among historically and geographically connected peoples.

The minister also highlighted Nigeria’s long-standing battle against Boko Haram, noting that the terrorist threat in Sahel States emerged years after Nigeria had already been grappling with the group. He condemned Tinubu’s remarks as dismissive of the Nigerian military’s sacrifices over the years.

Traoré added that despite documented links between Boko Haram and some Sahel-based militant factions, the AES countries have consistently avoided public accusations against Nigeria, prioritizing cooperation and shared responsibility in addressing the crisis.

“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria face the same enemy,” he said. “The successes of the AES member states’ defense and security forces benefit the entire subregion, including Nigeria, by curbing terrorist groups’ operational capacity and mobility.”

The Burkinabè diplomat urged Nigerian authorities to adopt unifying and solidarity-driven rhetoric instead of statements that risk sowing division or misunderstanding among neighboring peoples.

In response, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires acknowledged receipt of the message and committed to relaying it faithfully to authorities in Abuja, as confirmed by Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry statement.