In the wake of Thursday night’s collaborative airstrikes by Nigerian and American forces on terrorist camps in Sokoto State, Niger Republic has taken a decisive step by ordering a general mobilisation of its citizens for national defence.
The decree was promulgated by Niger’s Council of Ministers, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, in an emergency meeting in Niamey less than a day after the operation. The targeted area, Tangaza Local Government, sits directly on the sensitive border between the two nations.
The new ordinance requires Nigerien citizens to respond immediately to any official call-ups, comply with requisitions, report hostile foreign nationals or obstructive activities, and avoid any communication that could undermine the mobilisation effort.
Authorities cited the need to protect territorial integrity and sovereignty against escalating threats, grounding the move in the country’s “Charter of Refoundation” and existing defence laws.
This development follows the recent launch of a 5,000-strong joint military force by the Alliance of Sahel States—comprising Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—which have collectively turned away from Western partnerships and the regional bloc ECOWAS.
Concurrently, the military and political landscape within Nigeria saw significant activity. The United States has resumed its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights over the Sambisa forest in Borno State, indicating ongoing joint operations.
The airstrikes have also ignited domestic political debate. Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume welcomed the action but urged its extension to terrorist strongholds in the North-East. Senator Shehu Sani defended the partnership, arguing that Nigeria’s sovereignty had already been violated by terrorists, not by allies acting with government consent.
In contrast, the African Democratic Congress party condemned the strikes, a position criticised by commentator Reno Omokri as “unfortunate” and against national interest.
On the ground, the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, addressed troops in Sokoto, commending their gallantry and urging them to sustain the operational momentum to “annihilate” the terrorist threat.
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