Dec. 6, 2024

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has dismissed the reports alleging that permission had been granted to France to establish an expeditionary military base in Nigeria.

Musa faulted the insinuation that the recent visit of President Bola Tinubu to France where a lot of bilateral agreements were signed included allowing foreign military bases in Nigeria.

He gave the clarification on Friday during the unveiling of the Armed Forces of Nigeria 2025 Tattoo Logo at the Defence Headquarters Abuja.

According to him, no foreign body will establish any foreign military base in Nigeria, not in the north, not in the south, not anywhere.

“Mr President has said it should be very clear. Whatever he was signing is a bilateral agreement on trade, on culture, on tradition, on cooperation, on economy.

“Nothing like that. Mr President knows the implication. He knows that he must protect Nigeria and he will never allow any foreign body.

“We will continue to partner together bilaterally because we do training together and we will consistently send our officers which is a normal thing but having foreign military base in Nigeria is not part of Mr President’s plan.

“So I want to trust this as an opportunity to make that clarification,” he said.

The defence chief reiterated the commitment of the armed forces to peace and security of Nigeria, Africa, and globally, through various initiatives and strategies. (NAN)