The Defence Headquarters has dismissed reports suggesting that the French military was planning to establish a base in Nigeria, following a viral claim by human rights activist Mahdi Shehu.
In a recent post accompanied by a video, Shehu accused the Nigerian government of denying the arrival of French soldiers in Borno State, claiming that the military officers were in the region as part of the process to set up a French military base. He further alleged that the French soldiers had been deployed to Maiduguri to assist Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram, which he described as a misleading narrative.
Shehu’s post warned that the establishment of a French military base in Maiduguri could be imminent, possibly before the end of the year, and that it would eventually lead to exploitation of the region’s mineral resources, while potentially causing harm to local populations.
However, in a statement released on Monday, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, vehemently rejected the claims as “fake,” “totally false,” and “mischievous.” He reminded the public that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had already addressed similar rumors in various media forums, where he categorically refuted the notion of a French military presence in the country.
The Defence Headquarters has urged Nigerians to disregard these speculative reports, which it described as the work of “mischief makers,” and assured the public that the Nigerian military would continue to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities with professionalism and dedication to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity.
