THE DANGERS OF THE RELOCATION OF AMERICAN AND FRENCH MILITARY BASES FROM THE SAHEL TO NIGERIA
By Dr A. S Mohammed
Over the past year, the American and French governments have been desperately lobbying the governments of Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana to agree to sign new Defence pacts that would enable them redeploy their soldiers expelled from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Some of the troops have been redeployed to Chad but France and United States prefer countries of the Gulf of Guinea that are more strategically located to serve their interests in the central zone of the Sahel. Of the countries in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria turns out to be the most strategically located. There are indications that the Tinubu Administration may be favourably disposed to the proposed defence pact. However, there is a widespread apprehension that signing of the pact by Nigeria would have wide ranging implications for defence and internal security of the country.
