“The president remains committed to deepening these
partnerships, with the goal of achieving the national security objectives of
the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Recently, some northern leaders cautioned President Bola
Tinubu against allowing the US and French governments to relocate their
military bases from the Sahel to Nigeria.
In a letter addressed to Tinubu and the national assembly on
Friday, the northern leaders said accepting such a proposal would pose dangers
to the country.
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The northern leaders said the US and French governments have
allegedly been lobbying Nigeria, and other countries in the region, to sign new
defence pacts, allowing them to redeploy their expelled troops.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between Niger Republic and France became
strained after the military coup in the Sahel country.
France condemned the coup that ousted President Mohamed
Bazoum of Niger Republic and demanded that constitutional order be returned.
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After seizing power, the junta made France’s military exit
one of its key priorities, a move which neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali,
both also former French colonies, made after successful coups.
France, a key security ally of the West African nation, had
more than 1,500 troops stationed in Niger to help fight jihadist groups linked
to al-Qaeda and Islamic State and to prevent further spread of terrorism across
the Sahel.
Capitalising on the anti-Western sentiments in the Sahel,
Russia began to make fresh inroads into the continent.
After expelling French forces, the Nigerien junta agreed in
January to step up military cooperation with Russia.
In March, the junta revoked an accord with the US government
which allowed American troops to operate on two of its bases.
The US also reportedly agreed to close down its $100 million
military drone base near Agadez, which was built six years ago and played a key
role in the US-France strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa.
The Russian alliance was solidified when military
instructors from the country arrived in Niger with the latest equipment to
train the West African nation’s army.
The development has fueled fears in some quarters that the
US and France may want to site new military bases in Nigeria after their
military personnel were dislodged in Niger Republic.
