By Milcah Tanimu
The Nigerian federal government has refuted claims of engaging in discussions regarding the establishment of foreign military bases in the country. In a statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Nigerians were urged to dismiss such “falsehood”.
The Minister emphasized that the Federal Government has neither received nor considered any proposals for foreign military bases in Nigeria. Instead, existing foreign cooperation is being leveraged to address ongoing security challenges, with the President committed to deepening these partnerships to achieve national security objectives.
This clarification comes in response to concerns raised by some northern leaders, who cautioned against allowing the US and French governments to relocate their military bases from the Sahel to Nigeria. In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, the northern leaders expressed apprehensions about potential dangers posed by accepting such proposals.
Allegations were made that the US and French governments have been lobbying Nigeria and other countries in the region to sign new defence pacts, enabling them to redeploy their expelled troops. However, the federal government’s statement dismisses these claims, affirming its focus on existing security cooperation efforts.
