AES criticises Tinubu for comments on security issues

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has slammed President Bola Tinubu for his remarks. He blamed Nigeria’s worsening security crisis partly on insecurity in nearby countries.

The AES, which includes Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, found Mr Tinubu’s comments “simplistic” and “hasty.” They said his words downplayed the efforts of these countries to fight terrorism in the Sahel region.

Burkina Faso’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Traore, shared the AES’s feelings on Thursday. He spoke during a meeting with the Nigerian Chargé d’Affaires in Burkina Faso.

Tinubu made his comments last week while talking about the military operation that saved kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oyo State. He connected the rising insecurity in Nigeria and the return of kidnappings to the security problems in the Sahel.

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

In response, the AES called the Nigerian Chargé d’Affaires for a meeting in Ouagadougou. At this meeting, Traore said Tinubu’s “surprising” comments overlooked the sacrifices made by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso in battling armed groups.

He also pointed out that Tinubu’s remarks diminished the role of the Nigerien army in fighting Boko Haram. He noted that Niger was already dealing with the Boko Haram threat before the rise of widespread terrorism in the other AES countries.

“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria are facing the same enemy.

“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,” the minister said.

Nigeria’s relationship with Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso has been rocky since the military coup in Niger in 2023. This has worsened the ties between the AES and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the three nations officially left ECOWAS in early 2025. This happened after a year of attempts by ECOWAS to persuade them to stay.

The military governments in these countries accused ECOWAS of not supporting them in their fight against terrorism. They also said the sanctions from ECOWAS hurt their people.

Because of these strained relations, security cooperation has been affected, especially along Nigeria’s borders with these three Sahel countries.

The breakdown of regional security efforts has made it harder to share intelligence, carry out joint operations, and coordinate across borders.

Despite this, the Nigerian government is still pushing for cooperation with the AES to fight cross-border crime in the area. Last week, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, called for joint action between the AES and ECOWAS to tackle insurgency in West Africa.

Musa said that addressing West Africa’s security challenges needs a united and coordinated approach.