Insecurity: “The real enemies are elsewhere,” Sahel states reject Tinubu’s claim that bloc’s crisis worsening Nigeria’s insecurity

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s claim that insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is worsening Nigeria’s security challenges.

The AES comprises Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and subsequently established their own regional bloc.

Tinubu had said some of the terrorists operating in Nigeria were foreigners, linking the country’s security challenges to instability in the three Sahelian countries.

“Some of them (the terrorists) are not Nigerian. You see, the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger only exacerbates our difficulties,” Tinubu had said during a meeting with traditional rulers from Oyo on July 31.

But in a statement published on Friday, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, said the four countries were facing a common security threat.

“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria face the same enemy,” Traoré said.

The minister said the AES countries would have preferred a more accurate account of the regional security situation, rather than what he described as an attempt to attribute a complex crisis to neighbouring countries.

“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,” he said.

Representatives of the three AES countries, meeting in Ouagadougou, also summoned Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires to express their disapproval of Tinubu’s remarks.

They described the president’s statements as “inaccurate” and said they minimised the efforts of the Sahelian armies in fighting armed groups.

“We are not responsible for what is happening to us. The real enemies are elsewhere,” he said.

The dispute comes amid persistent insecurity across the Sahel and neighbouring West African countries. The AES states have faced sustained attacks by jihadist and other armed groups, while Nigeria continues to battle insurgency, banditry and kidnappings across several regions.

Nigeria’s relationship with the AES states has been complicated since the three countries left ECOWAS.

However, Tinubu had previously called for continued regional engagement.

In May 2025, while receiving the credentials of Mali’s ambassador, Tinubu said Nigeria remained willing to collaborate with Mali despite the AES’ position.

“For me, we are one in West Africa and Africa. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has made its position clear, but no nation can succeed alone. We see Mali as a brother and are ready to collaborate and exchange ideas,” Tinubu had said.