Nigeria condemns alleged French military base in country, accuses France of neocolonial agenda

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has strongly condemned the alleged approval for France to establish an expeditionary military base in Nigeria.

According to the CNG, this decision is connected to a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and France, which purportedly grants France unrestricted access to Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources, Caliber.Az reports via Nigerian media.

Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the National Coordinator of the CNG, shared this information during a press conference in Abuja.

He highlighted that since President Bola Tinubu took office, Nigerians have witnessed both overt and covert diplomatic actions at the highest levels of government, which he claimed are aimed at compromising Nigeria's sovereignty in favor of France under false pretenses.

“We recall with trepidation that barely a year into his presidency, the same belligerent European nation, France, was identified as the inveterate promoter and sponsor of the disintegration of ECOWAS. This created a perceptible war atmosphere in the previously peaceful West African sub-region," Charanchi said.

He continued, "It took the collective wisdom and uncommon display of Pan-Africanism by renowned statesmen and millions of concerned citizens to quell the incendiary fire ignited by France in its desperate bid to subjugate its rebellious former colonies to neocolonial servitude, using Nigeria as a willing tool."

Charanchi also pointed out that France led the opposition from powerful Western nations against the introduction of the West African common currency.

The CNG expressed shock that Nigeria, a nation with a proud history of championing African sovereignty, would succumb to such foreign interference.

“We refuse to accept this and hereby reaffirm our resolve,” Charanchi concluded.

By Vafa Guliyeva