France dismisses as ‘groundless’ Niger leader’s destabilisation claim

France on Wednesday described as “groundless” the alleged collusion with Nigeria to destabilize the Niger Republic, its former colony.

The Political Counsellor to the Embassy of France in Nigeria, Mr. Bertrand de Seissan, expressed this thought in a chat with journalists in Abuja.

He said: “This allegation is groundless. This has never been discussed, nor even suggested by either France or Nigeria.”

The head of the Nigerien military junta, Abdourahamane Tchiani, had in a December last year alleged that France was plotting to destabilise the country by using neighbouring Benin and Nigeria as a base for attacks.

READ ALSO: ’Nigeria doesn’t need Lakurawa, France to destabilize Niger’ –FFK replies President Tchiani

Tchiani, who spoke in Hausa in an interview, alleged that France was negotiating with terrorists in Nigeria to destabilise his country.

He said France made a “substantial payment to President Bola Tinubu” to establish a military base in Nigeria.

“They (France) met and negotiated with Boko Haram/Bakurawa (a possible variation of the pronunciation of Lakurawa, a new terrorist group in Nigeria),” he stated.

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