Niger has announced its withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF), a regional coalition fighting jihadist groups in the Lake Chad Basin. The decision was made public in a statement read on state television on Saturday.

The MJTF, originally created in 1994 and reactivated in 2015, includes Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger. It was established to combat threats from Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Authorities in Niamey cited the need to redeploy troops to protect the country’s northern oil sites, which face growing threats from hostile armed groups. This move raises concerns about regional security and the ongoing fight against terrorism in West Africa.