Army Debunks Claims of France Military Base In Borno

By Inusa Ndahi

Headquarters Theatre Command Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has debunked claims circulating in some social media platforms purportedly concocted by one, Mahdi Shehu, a Social Media Activist who posted on his X handle (Twitter), that French Military Base has been established in Nigeria, particularly in Maiduguri, Borno State.

This was contained in a statement released to newsmen on Monday by the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Heaquarters Theatre Command ‘Operation HADIN KAI’, Captain Reuben Kovangiya.

The statement reads: “Attention of Headquarters Theatre Command Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has been drawn to a false narrative by a social media activist, Mahdi Shehu on his X handle, where he claims establishment of French Military Base in Nigeria, particularly Maiduguri North East Nigeria. He corroborated his baseless claim, with a video clip showing the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army flanked by a foreign military officer as being French Military.

“The fact is, there is no French military Base in Maiduguri and there is no intention whatsoever to establish any French military base in the North East Theatre of Operation.

“The purported video is a clip showing the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army Brigadier General Abubakar Haruna granting audience to pressmen, flanked by a member of the British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT), after the donation of equipment to OPHK by BMATT, recieved by the Theatre Commander Major General Waidi Shaibu on 25 October 2024 at Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri, Borno State.

“Furthermore, a long-lasting military partnership and collaboration exist between Defence Headquarters and BMATT. Such collaboration has seen the provision of training support and the donation of C-IED equipment in recent times to help fight the menace of IED in the North East Theatre of Operation.

“The cheap claims made by Shehu Mahdi are baseless misrepresentation and a deliberate attempt to cause misinformation through photo shopping with malicious intent to deceive, manipulate and influence public opinion. Such antics by unscrupulous individuals are aimed at misleading and insighting well meaning Nigerians just to score cheap popularity. The public is therefore urged to discountenance such falsehoods and continue to internalise verified information”.