Sahel alliance rejects Nigerian leader’s remarks on regional security

In a show of unity, Burkina Faso’s top diplomat summoned Nigeria’s acting ambassador in Ouagadougou following Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s statements regarding the security situation in the three member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The meeting took place on August 7 in the presence of acting ambassadors from Mali and Niger, both AES partners, to underscore a shared stance on the matter.

The incident traces back to July 30, when President Tinubu reportedly told a gathering of Nigerian traditional leaders that escalating insecurity in the AES region was worsening Nigeria’s own security challenges. He linked the rise in terrorist attacks and kidnappings in Nigeria to the situation in neighboring countries.

Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Jean Marie Traoré, speaking on behalf of all three AES nations, expressed “deep regret” over the remarks, calling them “inaccurate and at odds with the spirit of solidarity that must guide neighboring states facing a common threat.” He described the Nigerian leader’s assessment as “hasty, overly simplistic, and surprising.”

“We would have preferred a more accurate portrayal of the security landscape,” he stated, “rather than assigning blame to neighboring countries for a complex situation. Such comments risk fostering misunderstandings and resentment among peoples bound by history, geography, and shared destiny.”

Emphasizing that AES nations are not responsible for their security challenges, he added: “We bear the consequences, but our true adversaries lie elsewhere. We must act as brother nations united against a common enemy.”

While firmly rejecting any intent to escalate tensions, Traoré clarified that the AES countries’ démarche was purely aimed at fostering open dialogue. “Our goal is cooperation, not confrontation,” he stated. “Only genuine collaboration will enable us to overcome the region’s security threats sustainably.”

Nigeria’s acting ambassador acknowledged the AES ministers’ message, pledging to relay it to Abuja. He praised the alliance’s commitment to dialogue and solidarity in combating terrorism, while acknowledging the AES’s ongoing efforts against this scourge.