The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s claim that worsening insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is contributing to Nigeria’s security challenges, saying the countries are confronting the same regional threat.
The AES comprises Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) before establishing their own regional bloc.
Tinubu had linked Nigeria’s security difficulties to instability in the three Sahel countries, arguing that some of the terrorists operating in Nigeria were foreigners.
Speaking during a meeting with traditional rulers from Oyo State on July 31, the President said insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger was exacerbating Nigeria’s own security challenges.
The remarks have now drawn a strong response from the AES.
In a statement issued on Friday, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, said the four countries were facing a common security threat and cautioned against attributing the complex regional crisis to neighbouring states.
“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 place responsibility for a complicated crisis on neighbouring countries.
He warned that such statements could fuel misunderstandings and frustration among populations linked by history, geography and longstanding regional ties.
AES Summons Nigeria’s Diplomat
The disagreement escalated after representatives of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, meeting in Ouagadougou, summoned Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires to formally express their disapproval of Tinubu’s remarks.
The AES representatives described the President’s comments as inaccurate and said they failed to recognise the efforts of Sahelian security forces in confronting armed groups.
They argued that the security challenges affecting the region have common roots and that the countries should not be portrayed as responsible for one another’s insecurity.
The diplomatic exchange comes against the backdrop of persistent violence across the Sahel and neighbouring West African countries.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have faced sustained attacks by jihadist and other armed groups, while Nigeria continues to confront insurgency, banditry and kidnapping across several parts of the country.
Nigeria-AES Relations Under Pressure
Nigeria’s relationship with the AES countries has become more complicated since Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS.
The three countries have pursued a separate regional path through the AES, while Nigeria has continued to advocate dialogue and regional cooperation.
Tinubu had previously expressed a willingness to maintain engagement with the Sahelian states despite their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
In May 2025, while receiving the credentials of Mali’s ambassador, the President said Nigeria remained ready to work with Mali and described the country as a brother within the wider African family.
Tinubu stressed that no country could succeed entirely on its own and called for continued collaboration and exchange of ideas.
The latest disagreement therefore comes at a sensitive moment for West Africa, where governments are facing overlapping security threats while regional relations continue to evolve following the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States.
At the centre of the dispute is a shared question confronting the region: how can Nigeria and the Sahel countries work together against armed groups and insecurity without turning a common security crisis into a source of diplomatic tension?
