Bola Tinubu remarks shock Sahel alliance states

Confederation of Sahel States (AES) members have expressed dismay following statements attributed to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu linking insecurity in Nigeria to the security situation in neighbouring Sahel countries.

The CSA believe that this interpretation does not sufficiently take into account the efforts made by the three states in the fight against terrorism.

The AES’s reaction was expressed in Ouagadougou by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean Marie Traore, during a meeting with the Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian embassy in Burkina Faso.

The meeting was held in the presence of the diplomatic representatives of Mali and Niger. This statement was also relayed by the Nigerien Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reiterated the position expressed on behalf of the three countries of the confederation, confirming Niamey’s alignment with this joint diplomatic approach.

The authorities of the AES are reacting to remarks made on July 30, 2026, by the Nigerian president during a meeting with traditional leaders in Abuja. Bola Ahmed Tinubu had then drawn a link between the security situation in some neighbouring Sahel countries and the resurgence of attacks and kidnappings in Nigeria.

“Some of them (the terrorists) are not Nigerian. You see, the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger only exacerbates our difficulties,” the Nigerian head of state had declared.

For the Burkinabe Minister of Foreign Affairs, this analysis is “hasty,” “simplistic,” and “surprising.” He believes it obscures the sacrifices made by the defence and security forces, as well as by the populations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, in their fight against armed groups.

“We would have preferred a more accurate presentation of the security situation, rather than placing the blame for a complex situation on neighbouring countries, at the risk of fuelling misunderstandings and frustrations between peoples bound by history, geography, and fraternity,” declared Karamoko Jean Marie Traore.

Regarding Niger, the Burkinabe Foreign Minister stated that the Nigerian president’s remarks minimize the role played by the Nigerien army in the fight against Boko Haram, noting that Niamey was facing this threat even before the emergence of large-scale terrorist insecurity in the other countries of the Alliance.

He also noted that the confederation’s member states had avoided publicly designating Nigeria as responsible for some cross-border threats, despite the established links between Boko Haram and groups active in the Sahel region.

“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria are facing the same enemy,” the minister stresses, adding that the progress made by the Special Economic and Monetary Association (SEMA) forces also contributes to strengthening security throughout the sub-region.

The confederation’s authorities called on Nigerian officials to prioritise messages based on regional solidarity and cooperation, rather than statements that could fuel misunderstandings between neighbouring countries.

“We are not responsible for what is happening to us. We are paying the price, but the real enemies are elsewhere,” said Karamoko Jean Marie Traore, calling for a collective response to a common threat.

The minister emphasised that the AES’s approach was not driven by a desire for diplomatic confrontation, but rather by a commitment to maintaining a “frank, respectful, and constructive” dialogue with Abuja.

In response, the Nigerian chargé d’affaires indicated that he had taken careful note of the message and pledged to convey it to the authorities in Abuja. He acknowledged the efforts made by the AES countries in the fight against terrorism, specifically citing Niger’s role in preventing attacks that could target Nigerian territory.

This development comes as the AES countries and Nigeria, all facing cross-border security threats, seek to maintain cooperation mechanisms despite differing political approaches to managing the Sahel crisis.

AC/Sf/fss/as/APA