Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has dismissed allegations made by Abdourahamane Tchiani, the military leader of Niger Republic, as baseless propaganda aimed at inciting discord in Nigeria.

Tchiani, during a Wednesday interview in Hausa, accused Nigeria and France of conspiring to destabilize Niger. He alleged that France negotiated with terrorists in Nigeria and paid President Tinubu to establish a military base in the country.

In response, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, labeled the allegations unfounded and baseless.

Reacting in a video shared on his X page on Friday, Bwala condemned Tchiani’s claims as a deliberate attempt to incite Northern Nigerians against President Tinubu.

“Yesterday, I came across a video, a despicable propaganda piece by the military head of state of the Niger Republic against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Bwala said. “The honeymoon is over; he has not been able to address the economic situation in his country. Everything is turning against him, and in a desperate gasp for breath, he decided to resort to cheap falsehoods and propaganda against Nigeria.”

Bwala criticized Tchiani’s use of Hausa, claiming it was a calculated move to create bad blood in Northern Nigeria. He also suggested the possibility of internal collaboration in Niger’s propaganda efforts, stating, “The choice of words used by the military leader is quite insulting for what his intentions are; probably in cahoots with politicians in Nigeria you never know. But the whole idea is to create chaos and bad blood in Northern Nigeria against the President.”

Reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership in West Africa, Bwala emphasized the country’s commitment to maintaining strong bilateral relations with its neighbors despite attempts to tarnish its image.