Tibor Nagy, a veteran US diplomat who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Africa and Ambassador to both Guinea and Ethiopia, used his X platform to discuss the recent geopolitical shifts in West Africa.
He noted that Ivory Coast has now joined Senegal in demanding the withdrawal of French military forces, reducing the French military footprint to only Gabon and Djibouti. Nagy sees this as potentially beneficial for African sovereignty if local forces can secure the vacated areas, but he warns of the dangers if new imperialistic powers, such as Russia, take over.
In a more alarming revelation, General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of Niger, disclosed in an interview a shocking plot involving the French government. According to Tiani, high-ranking members of the Lakurawa terrorist group, recently apprehended, confessed to an agreement signed on March 4, 2024, between ISWAP and France. This pact allegedly aimed to establish Gaba village in Sokoto State, Nigeria, as a terror hub, with operations potentially extending into Zamfara and Kebbi.
Tiani further alleged that the administration of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu was initially dismissive of these claims, considering them a jest. However, given the close ties between Niger and Nigeria, Tiani stressed that his country could not ignore information that might endanger Nigeria’s security
