Niger Interior Minister Accuses France of Backing Jihadists; Junta Weighs Mandatory Military Conscription

On April 22, 2026, Niger's Interior Minister and CNSP security chief, Major General Mohamed Toumba, delivered a double-track statement combining a direct accusation against France with an announcement of new domestic security measures. Toumba stated publicly that 'terrorist attacks in Niger could cease following a change in political power in France' — arguing that jihadist militants are sustained by French state support, and that attacks would diminish after French elections because 'the terrorists would no longer have support.' He cited border porosity, local socio-economic tensions, and economic precarity as the structural vulnerability factors exploited by ISGS and JNIM. Toumba claimed a 'noticeable improvement' in Niger's security situation since the July 26, 2023 coup, attributing it to the expulsion of French and American forces and closer cooperation with Russia. The statement aligns with Niger's FM accusations at the Dakar Forum (April 22) and represents an escalating pattern of AES diplomatic messaging that directly blames France for the Sahel security crisis. Separately, Bloomberg reported on April 22 that Niger's junta is considering reinstating mandatory military conscription across the country to address the growing manpower demands of its counter-jihadist operations — a measure last implemented under a previous military government. The conscription debate follows a December 2025 'general mobilisation' order by the CNSP, which had called all Nigeriens to support the security effort but stopped short of mandatory service. Both measures — diplomatic accusations and military mass mobilization — reflect the CNSP's strategy of blending nationalist rhetoric with domestic militarization as the security situation in Tillabéri and around Diffa continues to deteriorate. Niger's eastern Diffa region has also seen spillover pressure from the Lake Chad basin (Boko Haram/ISWAP), while the west (Tillabéri) continues to be contested between ISGS and JNIM in the aftermath of the April 2–17 inter-jihadist clashes that killed 50+ fighters.