“Reject It”: Northern Leaders Warn Tinubu Over U.S, France Military Bases in Nigeria

• Controversy has trailed the United States and the French government's move to relocate their military bases from the Sahel to Nigeria
• Northern leaders have expressed serious worry over the development and sent an open letter to President Tinubu
• The leaders urged President Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly, not to succumb to such pressure

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

Influential northern leaders have warned against the relocation of US and French military bases from the Sahel to Nigeria.

US and French military bases in Nigeria: Northern leaders concerned

As reported by BusinessDay, the leaders, in a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national assembly on Friday, May 3, said accepting such a proposal would pose dangers for the country.

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According to the letter, the US and France are lobbying Nigeria and other Gulf of Guinea nations for defence agreements to station troops previously in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Of the countries in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria turns out to be the most strategically located, the leaders said in their joint letter.

Reacting, the northern leaders express worry that if Nigeria agrees to this defence pact, it might jeopardisie its defence and security, The Cable reported.

They, however, noted that the removal of French and American forces from Niger questions the benefit of foreign military bases.

The letter highlighted that US operations in Sahel have not curbed terrorism, which has grown since the military base was established.

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It warned Tinubu's government against sacrificing Nigeria's sovereignty and independence for alliances that could have negative future impacts.

“The American operations in Niger Republic, for example, were ostensibly to pre-empt and uproot terrorists from the Sahel region. The result has so far been quite unimpressive, if not a complete failure,” the leaders said.

Tinubu deliberately put northerners in key offices - Ribadu

In another report, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), noted that President Tinubu deliberately appointed northerners into strategic government positions for a reason.

Speaking during a convocation lecture at Usmanu Danfordiyo University, Ribadu disclosed that President Tinubu picked northerners to take charge of strategic places because he wanted problems in the region dealt with.

The NSA, who on Thursday, April 18, admitted that the North was bedevilled with challenges, ranging from insecurity and out-of-school children to poverty and others, disclosed that the region is dear to Tinubu's heart.

Source: Legit.ng