During a televised interview on Saturday, May 31, 2025, Niger’s transitional president, General Abdourahamane Tiani, made a series of striking revelations regarding the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Benin. According to him, these violent incidents are not isolated acts of terror but the result of geopolitical decisions he described as dangerous on the part of Beninese authorities.
Tiani argued that the terrorist attacks that have shaken Benin since the start of the year are directly linked to Cotonou’s strategic choices. The leader of the Nigerien junta claimed that his government had warned Benin about the risks of hosting what he called “destabilizing troops” — a reference to the French military presence in the region.
“But the Beninese authorities thought they were outsmarting us,” he said. “They welcomed these destabilizing forces — which they denied when we raised the issue.”
He added, “When Macron spoke about it, we heard nothing from Benin, nor from Nigeria or Ivory Coast. But when I raised the alarm on February 25, everyone got outraged because it was an African speaking an inconvenient truth. Instead of seeking the truth, they tried to silence it.”
Despite French President Emmanuel Macron’s own confirmation of a military presence, Tiani criticized Benin for continuing to deny it while simultaneously deepening cooperation with those forces. “It’s a sovereign decision — fair enough. But every action has consequences,” he warned.
According to Tiani, Benin had signed a non-aggression pact with the French forces, which expired on December 31, 2024. “And right after, on January 8, 2025, the attacks resumed,” he said, citing a deadly assault at the “triple point” border area that claimed the lives of several Beninese soldiers.
He claimed that subsequent attacks allowed terrorist elements to seize significant military equipment. “Gear equivalent to what a 400-man battalion would use was found at a base held by just 50 soldiers,” he stated, suggesting a suspicious level of logistical preparedness.
Tiani further accused Benin of abandoning the area after the attacks, effectively leaving it under terrorist control. He said that approximately 350 ISWAP fighters have since taken over the vacated zones.
“We warned that a non-aggression pact linked Benin’s leadership to neo-colonial auxiliaries until December 31, 2024. The pact expired, and by January 8, attacks resumed in Benin. First, 36 soldiers were killed. Then more attacks followed.”
He also pushed back against accusations made by President Patrice Talon, who had blamed Niger for allowing terrorists to cross its borders into Benin. Tiani countered that the real issue was not Niger’s border security, but the presence of foreign troops on Beninese soil.
“The most alarming attack exposed France’s game: military hardware fit for an entire battalion — over 400 men — was displayed by the terrorists themselves as spoils of war. That gear was found at a base that should’ve only housed a 50-man unit. Since that attack, Benin has pulled out completely, leaving a vacuum now filled by 350 ISWAP fighters.”
Tiani expressed dismay at what he sees as a double standard: Benin’s silence following Macron’s remarks about France’s presence, in contrast to its vigorous denials when the same claims came from Niger. For him, Talon’s accusations of Niger’s alleged “laxity” are nothing more than an attempt to shift blame.
Border with Benin remains closed
Tiani also addressed the issue of the Niger-Benin border closure. Unlike Nigeria — with whom relations remain tense but functional — Niger views the situation with Benin as more serious. As such, strict measures remain in place.
“We’ve kept the border with Benin closed, and it will remain closed as long as Benin refuses to understand that our fight isn’t against them, but against the French destabilizing forces,” Tiani stated.
He denied any claims of favoritism toward Nigeria, insisting that all decisions are based on reliable intelligence, not media spin.
“A state does not operate on surface-level perceptions. It acts on well-grounded decision-making factors,” he concluded.