French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Tinubu, had reached out to him seeking help in quelling violent attacks plaguing the oil-rich West African nation.

In a post on X, Macron said he had spoken with Tinubu.

"I conveyed France's solidarity in the face of the various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the north," Macron said. "At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement."

"No one," added Macron, "can remain a spectator."

Why is Nigeria seeking France's help?

Nigeria has seen a sharp rise in attacks in northern regions of the country, mostly carried out by criminal gangs and Islamist insurgents.

In recent weeks, men, women and children have been abducted by the hundreds from schools and church services there.

The situation has grown so intense that US President Donald Trump recently said he might send soldiers to Nigeria to protect Christians, whom he says are being targeted.

In November, Trump said he was considering sanctions and Pentagon engagement on counterterrorism in an effort to force Nigeria to better protect Christian communities.

Nigeria says it welcomes foreign support for its security struggles as long as its sovereignty is respected.

Nigeria's government says the situation is more complex that it may appear, with criminal gangs often indiscriminately targeting Christians as well as Muslims.

Nigeria's Islamist insurgency has occupied armed forces for over a decade, while armed kidnappers in the northwest and deadly clashes between mainly Muslim cattle herders and mostly Christian farmers over resources in the middle of the country have further stretched security forces.

Many scholars point to the struggle over scarce resources as the actual source of tensions, rather than religious differences. 

How can France help Nigeria?

Macron was not specific as to how exactly France plans to help Nigeria.

In the past, Nigeria has received intelligence and materiel — including jets — from the US as well as training from the UK.

France has withdrawn its troops from West and Central Africa of late, as Russian-backed militants in several African states have claimed to "break the chains of colonialism" by overthrowing their own governments and banishing French troops from their soil.

Edited by: Rana Taha