No French military presence in Nigeria – FG replies Niger’s Tchiani

On Thursday, the Nigerian government’s response came through Alkasim Abdulkadir, who works for the Foreign Affairs Minister. The government said Tchiani’s claim was false and that there was no “Canada” camp or any French military presence in Nigeria. They also said there are no plans to create one.

“It is a figment of his imagination. Most importantly, there are no French soldiers in Nigeria or any plans by the government of Nigeria to establish a military post manned by the French,” the statement said.

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This denial comes shortly after Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu visited Paris. During this visit, Nigeria and France made several agreements to help Nigeria’s development, including improving infrastructure and food supply. Two Nigerian banks, Zenith Bank and United Bank for Africa, also expanded their business to France.

One major agreement involved France investing €300 million (about 300 million euros) in Nigeria. This money will help improve important things like infrastructure, healthcare, transportation, farming, clean energy, and education. The Nigerian government made it clear that “the funds are not in exchange for the establishment of a military post.”

The government also explained that Nigeria works with many different countries, including France, China, the USA, Japan, and Russia. They said this is normal in international relations and emphasized that Nigeria and France’s relationship is based on mutual respect and not interfering in each other’s internal matters.