Defence Headquarters Denies Allegations of French Military Base in Nigeria
The Defence Headquarters has firmly rejected claims that the French military is planning to establish a base in Nigeria. The allegations, made by human rights activist Mahdi Shehu, were criticized by the Nigerian military as false and misleading.
Shehu had posted a video on Saturday, alleging that French military officers had arrived in Borno State as part of preparations to set up a military base. In his post, Shehu claimed that, despite earlier denials from Nigerian military officials, a contingent of French soldiers had arrived and were deployed to Maiduguri to assist in the fight against Boko Haram. He suggested that this presence would soon lead to the establishment of a French military base in the region, warning of potential exploitation and harm to local populations, a scenario he attributed to France’s historical presence in Africa.
In response, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, issued a statement on Monday refuting the claims. He called the reports “fake, totally false, and mischievous,” and reiterated that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had already addressed such rumors in multiple media appearances. He emphasized that the Nigerian Armed Forces are committed to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and dismissed the allegations as the work of “mischief makers.”
The Defence Headquarters urged the public to disregard the circulating speculations, reinforcing that the military will continue its constitutional duties professionally.
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