General Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger Republic’s Commander of the National Council for the Salvation of the Homeland (CNSP), the junta ruling Nigeria’s Northern neighbour, has accused France of backing terrorists in the Lake Chad region, making them stronger than the country’s armed forces.
According to the verbatim content of his statement in Hausa: “If we talk about wealth, they’re richer than us. If we talk about numbers they’re more numerous than us. If you talk about equipment they have more weapons than us, you understand.
They have their weapons and also the ones that they are supplying to the terrorists. This is what led to the degradation of the security situation. Were it not for these circumstances, the insecurity would now be a distant memory.”
General Tiani accused France of aiding these terrorists and directing them to ensure that farmers cannot return to their farms and that herders lose their livestock.
He claimed that this support enables the terrorists to storm communities, shoot and kill indiscriminately, and then blame it on religion.
The terrorists would storm towns and seize all the livestock, following directives from France.
According to Tiani, this involvement is well known and has contributed significantly to the escalating insecurity.
Despite these challenges, General Tiani expressed gratitude for the improvements in security.
“The Truthful ones are always with Almighty God. We have improved security presence on farmlands so that our people can return to cultivate their crops.
“Just three days ago, the Minister of Agriculture confirmed to me that farmers have returned to their farmlands in hundreds of villages.
“However, about 73 villages in Tilaberi were not able to farm due to the insecurity in the area. But we thank God; if it’s just 73 out of thousands, then we give thanks to God.”