By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
The Headquarters Theatre Command Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that a French military base has been established in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The claims, made by social media activist Mahdi Shehu on his X (Twitter) account, suggested that a French military base had been set up in the region.
Shehu accompanied his post with a video showing the Acting General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Abubakar Haruna, alongside a foreign military officer, which he claimed was evidence of the base’s existence.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Captain Reuben Kovangiya, the military categorically denied the claim, stating that there is no French military base in Maiduguri or any plans to establish one in the North East.
The video referenced by Shehu, according to the statement, actually shows Brigadier General Haruna meeting with press members, with the foreign officer being a member of the British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT), not a French military representative. The event was related to the donation of equipment to OPHK by BMATT on October 25, 2024, at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri.
The statement further clarified that the Nigerian military maintains a long-standing partnership with BMATT, which has provided training support and equipment to combat the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the region.
The Army condemned Shehu’s claims as baseless, accusing him of deliberately spreading misinformation and manipulating public opinion to gain attention. The public was urged to disregard the falsehoods and focus on verified information.
Vanguard
