FG speaks on allowing US, France site military base in Nigeria

The Federal Government has denied receiving proposals from the United States and France to establish a military base in Nigeria.

Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris revealed this in a statement on Monday afternoon.

Some northern leaders had cautioned President Bola Tinubu against allowing the US and French governments to relocate their military bases from the Sahel to Nigeria.

In a letter addressed to Tinubu and the national assembly on Friday, the northern leaders said accepting such a proposal would pose dangers to the country.

The northern leaders said the US and French governments have allegedly been lobbying Nigeria, and other countries in the region, to sign new defence pacts, allowing them to redeploy their expelled troops.

However, the government has now urged the general public to totally disregard the rumours.

The statement read in part:

“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.

“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”.