The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has categorically denied claims that the French military is planning to establish a base in Nigeria. This denial comes after Mahdi Shehu, a human rights activist, criticized the government for allegedly covering up the development.
Shehu had claimed that French military officers had arrived in Borno State as part of the process to set up the base. He also alleged that the Chief of Army Staff had received the first contingent of French soldiers, who were deployed to Maiduguri to fight Boko Haram.
However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, has dismissed Shehu’s claims as “fake, totally false, and mischievous”. Buba emphasized that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has repeatedly denied any plans to establish a French military base in Nigeria .
The DHQ has urged the public to disregard the claims and speculations, stating that they are the antics of mischief makers. The military has reassured Nigerians that it will continue to carry out its constitutional responsibilities professionally and ensure the country’s territorial integrity.
