The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has expressed strong opposition to the Nigerian government’s alleged plan to allow the establishment of a French military base in the country.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, claimed that diplomatic maneuvers aimed at undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty in favor of France have been ongoing since President Bola Tinubu’s administration began.
Charanchi recalled France’s resistance to the launch of a West African common currency, describing it as part of a broader agenda to maintain dominance in the region.
He criticized the alleged approval of a military base and a bilateral agreement granting France access to Nigeria’s mineral resources, describing these actions as unconstitutional and detrimental to the country.
“We strongly oppose and call on Nigerians to resist this attempt to surrender our sovereignty to France a nation with a history of exploiting Africa’s resources,” Charanchi said.
He pointed to France’s controversial activities in African nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, where the country has been accused of exploiting mineral wealth.
Charanchi noted that several West African nations, including Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Chad, have expelled French military bases in recent years, citing the detrimental impact of colonial-era agreements.
He questioned why Nigeria would take a different approach, warning that it risks compromising its leadership role in Africa.
The CNG urged the National Assembly to intervene and defend Nigeria’s sovereignty. It vowed to use constitutional and democratic means to resist any move to invite foreign military powers into the country.
