SAHARA REPORTERS
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has described claims that the French military was planning to establish a base in Nigeria as fake, totally false, and mischievous.
Mahdi Shehu, a human rights activist criticised the government at the weekend in a post for denying the development, claiming that some French military officers had arrived in Borno State as part of the process to set up the base.
The post partly read, “Last week, the Chief of Defence Staff denied any plan to establish French military bases in Nigeria.
“Yesterday, the Chief of Army Staff received the first contingent of French soldiers and immediately deployed them to Maiduguri to ‘HELP NIGERIA IN FIGHTING BOKO HARAM.’ The same Boko Haram they claimed to have decimated and are scampering for safety.
“Before the blinking of an eye, a FRANCE military base will be physically seen in Maiduguri, perhaps before the new year, so that they will ‘FIGHT’ Boko Haram and begin to explore and prospect huge mineral resources and surely begin to exploit, harass, intimidate, kill, incapacitate, and annihilate the local people, which is typical of France’s presence in Africa.”
END OF DENIAL:
COMMENCEMENT OF FRANCE MILITARY DEPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA:
1. Anytime an official denial is issued by Tinubu’s spin doctors, on any subject, take that denial as an offial confirmation.
2. Last week, Chief of Defense staff denied any plan to establish France… pic.twitter.com/7nOqjJZJAE
— Mahdi Shehu (@shehu_mahdi) December 14, 2024
However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba in a statement on Monday dismissed the claim as fake and mischievous.
He urged the general public to disregard these claims and speculations that are still circulating in some quarters. Stating that it is clear that it is the antics of mischief makers.
He said, “The attention of Defence Headquarters has been drawn to online reports alleging the arrival of the first contingent of French soldiers in Maiduguri towards establishing a French Military base in North East Nigeria.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria hereby states unequivocally that this information is fake, totally false and mischievous. It would be recalled that Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa CFR, recently addressed this matter in different media forums. In which he debunked the news and such speculations.
“Accordingly, the general public is urged to disregard these news and speculations still making rounds in some quarters. It is clear that these are the antics of mischief makers.
“Nevertheless, the military will continue to carry out its constitutional responsibilities, most professionally and ensure the territorial integrity of our nation. Kindly disseminate, please.”
THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
