Diplomatic relations between Benin and Niger have worsened sharply following accusations by General Abdourahamane Tiani who accused Contonu, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and France of attempting to destabilise his regime.
The allegation was quickly rejected by Cotonou.
Diplomatic relations between Benin and Niger have deteriorated sharply following accusations made by General Tiani, who heads of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP) of Niger, on December 24, 2024.
He claimed that Benin, in cahoots with Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and France, was involved in an attempt to destabilise his regime, accusations the Beninese government has dismissed as untrue.
In an interview broadcast on Télé Sahel, General Tiani claimed Benin had supplied drones to armed groups operating in sensitive border areas and backed France in financing terrorist groups active in the Sahel.
Benin immediately summoned the Nigerien Chargée d’Affaires in Cotonou, denouncing these accusations as unfounded and reaffirming its commitment to regional stability.
On December 25, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire also rejected the accusations, calling for respect for diplomatic principles and the preservation of West African solidarity.
This diplomatic crisis comes in an already tense context since the July 2023 military coup in Niger, and has exacerbated tensions between the military regime in Niamey and several countries in the sub-region, including Benin, an active member of Ecowas.
The regional grouping expressed its support for the member countries accused by Niger, which, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, left Ecowas to create the Confederation of Sahel States.
MD/ac/Sf/fss/as/APA