Nigeria denies backing Niger coup attempt, urges citizens to ignore social media claims

Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied on Wednesday, September 3, 2026, that the Federal Government backed the failed coup attempt in Niger Republic that occurred on August 29. The ministry called allegations linking Nigeria and ECOWAS to the overthrow bid 'baseless, irresponsible, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public,' insisting Nigeria remains committed to peace and constitutional order across West Africa.

The August 29 uprising involved mutinous soldiers attacking key sites in Niamey including Diori Hamani International Airport, Air Base 101, the presidential palace, and state broadcaster before loyalist forces suppressed it with reported Russian assistance. Nigeria had previously expressed concern over the situation in an August 30 statement calling for peaceful return to stability.

This denial matters because it comes amid a wave of military takeovers in West Africa—with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger currently under junta rule—and follows domestic scrutiny over an alleged 2025-2026 coup plot against President Tinubu's government that led to treason charges against former minister Timipre Sylva in April. Nigeria's position aligns with its historical stance: as ECOWAS Chair in July 2023, Tinubu condemned Niger's initial coup while opposing military force as solution, and Nigerian troops intervened in Benin in December 2025 to protect President Talon's government from a similar attempt.

The government urged Nigerians to disregard social media videos linking Nigeria to the Niger coup attempt, reaffirming commitment to ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and AU's zero-tolerance policy for unconstitutional changes. With regional democratic stability at stake, Nigerians should consider how Nigeria's consistent opposition to military takeovers affects its diplomatic relations and security cooperation with neighboring states.

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2026/09/04/nigeria-denies-backing-failed-coup-attempt-in-niger-republic/