Northern coalition kicks against alleged plans to establish French military base in Nigeria

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has kicked against an alleged move by the federal government to grant the establishment of a French military base in Nigeria.

The National Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, while addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, alleged that since the inception of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria has witnessed open and behind-the-scenes diplomatic manoeuvrings, being deftly orchestrated at the top level of officialdom, with the misleading intention to surrender the sovereignty of the country to France.

He recalled that France spearheaded the stiff resistance of some powerful Western nations against the imminent takeoff of the West African common currency.

“The Coalition of Northern Groups is compelled by a deep sense of patriotic duty to use this medium to strongly protest and alert Nigerians to the contemplated unconstitutional and indefensible action taken recently by the government in granting alleged permission to France, a belligerent and notorious imperialist power, to establish an expeditionary military base in our dear country.

“This is also linked with a reported case of a bilateral agreement signed between Nigeria and France, giving her unrestricted access to our nation’s huge mineral resources.

“We recall with trepidation that, barely a year following his swearing-in to the highly coveted presidency of our beloved country, the same bellicose European nation was fingered as being the inveterate promoter and tireless sponsor of the dismemberment of ECOWAS and the then perceptible war atmosphere generated by this subterfuge, which enveloped the hitherto peaceful West African sub-region.

“With all these calamitous catalogues of French imperial meddlesomeness in Africa, it beggars belief that our country, Nigeria, which has a rich and proud record of championing the cause of black people anywhere in the world and is an undisputed leader of the African people, could suddenly stoop so low as to be ordered around, in a manner reminiscent of the abhorrent and detestable behaviour of conquered people.

“We refuse to accept and hereby wish to defiantly reaffirm that, having sufficiently equipped ourselves with the armoury of the above-stated indisputable historical facts and in light of the yet another abhorrent reality prevalent, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, where the rich mineral resources of these two great African nations are pitilessly plundered by France in particular, it is our very firm resolve and implacable determination to use all constitutional and democratic means to militantly resist any attempt by this government to invite France or any other foreign power to establish a military base in any part of our beloved country,” he noted.

Charanchi further noted that it is beyond doubt that the constitution of Nigeria has adequate provisions on the laid-down procedures that must be strictly adhered to in handling sensitive matters.

“We hardly need to restate that currently, not less than five (5) former French-speaking colonies from the West African sub-region—Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Chad—have all wisely taken the bold and courageous sovereign decision to expel France and revoke the iniquitous agreement granting it permission to establish expeditionary military bases in their respective countries.

“Many years of colonial control and systematic pillage of their natural and human resources have left these countries with no other alternative than to throw away the shackles being imposed on them by France,” the CNG Coordinator noted.

He said it is inexplicable that with all these happenings, the government unilaterally opted to plunge its doors wide open to flaunt its morbid romance with France.

The CNG, however, called on the National Assembly to stand firm and united in defence of Nigeria’s sovereignty and the freedom of Nigerians.

     READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE