Niger’s Head of State, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has issued a bold denunciation of the forces he believes are fueling insecurity in the Sahel, insisting that terrorism ravaging the region is not rooted in Islam but driven by foreign interference.
Speaking during a national address, Tiani reminded citizens and the international community that Niger has been an Islamic nation for nearly 1,400 years, and that the extremist violence plaguing the country “has no connection whatsoever to Islam.”
Instead, he claimed the insurgencies destabilizing Niger and its neighbours are the deliberate handiwork of French imperial interests, allegedly deployed as tools to punish former colonies that have “chosen the path of true sovereignty.”
According to Tiani, these networks of violence are designed to weaken independent-minded governments, disrupt nation-building efforts, and justify continued external military influence in the region.
The junta leader doubled down on his vision of a new, self-reliant Niger—one that rejects external manipulation and reclaims control of its security and political destiny. He urged citizens to remain vigilant, united, and firm in defending the country’s independence “against all hidden agendas.”
With the Sahel’s geopolitical landscape rapidly shifting, Tiani’s remarks underscore the deepening rift between Niamey and Paris—signaling a continued battle of narratives over who is truly responsible for the region’s prolonged insecurity.
