It has generally been insinuated that the French and U.S governments are requesting the Nigerian government to allow the establishment of their military bases.
The purported requests are coming on the heals of the severance of diplomatic ties between three Francophone countries, including Niger Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso and France.
A cross section of Nigerians have exercised fear and cautioned the Federal government against allowing France, the U.S or any other country to establish military base in the country.
ASHENEWS earlier published HERE a warning by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) against any such consideration.
Similarly, some prominent Nigerians recently wrote an open letter to President Bola Tinubu outlining the dangers of relocation United States and France military bases from Niger Republic and other countries to Nigeria among others.
However, the Nigerian government, in a statement Monday signed by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, says the country is not considering any foreign military base.
The Minister, who described the insinuations about looming military bases in Nigeris as “false alarms”, categorically said, “We have neither received nor are we considering any proposals from any country on the establishment of any foreign military bases in Nigeria.”
ALSO READ [MURIC to FG] Don’t allow foreign military bases in Nigeria
In the statement titled: Federal Government Not Considering any Foreign military base’, Idris said: “The Federal Government is aware of false alarms being raised in some quarters alleging discussions between the Federal Government of Nigeria and some foreign countries on the siting of foreign military bases in the country.
“We urge the general public to totally disregard this falsehood.”
He revealed that, “The Federal Government is not in any such discussion with any foreign country. We have neither received nor are we considering any proposals from any country on the establishment of any foreign military bases in Nigeria.
According to the Minister of Information, “The Nigerian government already enjoys foreign cooperation in tackling ongoing security challenges, and the President remains committed to deepening these partnerships, with the goal of achieving the national security objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
