DHQ again denies plan for French military base in Nigeria
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has once more dismissed claims suggesting that the French military is planning to establish a base in Nigeria.
The rebuttal follows allegations made by human rights activist Mahdi Shehu, who criticised the government in a video-accompanied post on Saturday. Shehu alleged that French military officers had already arrived in Borno State as part of preparations to set up the base.
He further claimed that the soldiers were deployed to Maiduguri to aid Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram and accused the French government of ulterior motives, including exploitation of mineral resources and intimidation of local communities.
In response, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, issued a statement on Monday, categorically describing the claims as “fake” and “mischievous.”
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He stated, “The attention of the 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 state unequivocally that this information is fake, totally false, and mischievous.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, recently addressed this matter in various media forums, where he debunked such news and speculations.
“Accordingly, the general public is urged to disregard these claims and speculations still circulating 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,” he said.
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