Tensions are rising once again between Nigeria and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), with accusations flying over counter-terrorism efforts. The latest flare-up stems from remarks made by Nigeria’s president that have drawn sharp criticism in Bamako, Niamey, and Ouagadougou.

During a July 30 meeting with Nigerian traditional leaders, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suggested that cross-border terrorist elements from neighboring countries were partly responsible for insecurity and kidnappings in northern Nigeria. This statement prompted a swift response from Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, who issued a formal statement on August 7. In it, he emphasized that terrorism is a shared challenge. « The Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria are all facing the same threat », the document reads, while expressing the AES’s deep disappointment with the Nigerian president’s comments.

« The real enemies lie elsewhere »

On the same day, representatives from the three AES member states gathered in Ouagadougou to summon Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires. They condemned President Tinubu’s remarks as « inaccurate », arguing that his comments undermined the region’s collective counter-terrorism efforts. Burkina Faso’s top diplomat went further, stating that the AES nations are not to blame for Nigeria’s security challenges. « We are not responsible for what is happening to us. The real enemies are elsewhere », he declared.

Security conditions in northwestern Nigeria, particularly along its border with Niger, have deteriorated significantly in recent years. Relations between Abuja and its Sahel neighbors have been strained since the 2023 coup in Niamey, which further complicated regional cooperation against insurgent groups.