Nigeria Rejects Request for French Military Base Construction
In a swift rebuke, the federal government has flatly denied reports suggesting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a French military base in Nigeria. The unsubstantiated claims, circulating online, proposed the base would be camouflaged as a language academy for military training.
Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Acting Head of Crisis Monitoring & Public Communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, debunked the rumors in a conversation with Daily Trust. Ebienfa termed the allegations "not true."
The reports, somewhat persuasive, hinted at political pressure from French President Emmanuel Macron during Tinubu's visit to Paris, leading to an alleged agreement. This supposed agreement would have seen France establish a military base, under the guise of training Nigerian military personnel in the French language.
The online platform speculated this covert operation would avoid backlash from the National Assembly by remaining hidden. The report additionally connected the proposed military base to a prior French language laboratory opened at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna in January 2024, implying a broader, more secretive military cooperation.
Reminiscent of previous occurrences, Nigeria's Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, refuted any such discussions or plans with foreign nations to establish military bases in Nigeria. He emphasized that no proposals had been made, and urged the public to disregard false claims.
As France's military presence in the region continues to shrink, countries like Senegal, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali have either cut military ties or restructured these relationships for more equitable partnerships. This trend reflects growing African sentiments against foreign military influence.
You may find interesting
Why Tinubu Should Be Allowed To Complete His Eight-Year Tenure - Okowa'Tinubu Builds Southern-Middle Belt Alliance To Counter Northern Opposition Ahead Of 2027'I Learned My Lessons After Fighting Hard To Deliver Kaduna For Tinubu - El-RufaiKeyamo Dismisses Opposition Coalition Plans, Describes Them As 'Impossible''No Evidence' - Baba-Ahmed Opens Up On Relationship Between Tinubu And ShettimaINEC Wants Tinubu, Other Presidents To Stop Appointing RECs
- Although false reports suggested President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a French military base in Nigeria, his Acting Head of Crisis Monitoring & Public Communications, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, debunked the rumors.
- Ebienfa, in a conversation with Daily Trust, termed the allegations "not true."
- The false reports hinted at political pressure from French President Emmanuel Macron during Tinubu's visit to Paris, but Mohammed Idris, Nigeria's Minister of Information and National Orientation, refuted any such discussions or plans with foreign nations.4.The online platform speculated this covert operation would avoid backlash from the National Assembly by remaining hidden, but Idris emphasized that no proposals had been made and urged the public to disregard false claims.
- As France's military presence in the region continues to shrink, countries like Senegal, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali have either cut military ties or restructured these relationships for more equitable partnerships, reflecting growing African sentiments against foreign military influence.
- This trend was reminiscent of previous occurrences, such as the debate on whether Tinubu should be allowed to complete his eight-year tenure or the formation of a Southern-Middle Belt Alliance to counter northern opposition ahead of 2027.
- Key policy and legislative issues, like the appointment of Resident Electoral Commissioners, are also subjects of ongoing discussion and debate in Nigeria's general news and politics.
