By
Abubakar Mu'azu
University of Maiduguri
Maiduguri - Nigeria
Dear Governors,
Foreign Military Bases Cannot Solve Our Security Challenges
Permit me to start by praying for you, for God, the Almighty, to keep you in good health and to further strengthen you with both vision and wisdom to provide positive leadership in your various states. Please permit me to again appeal to you to use your good offices to elevate the concerns and interests of the people, based on the declaration of the results of the 2023 elections that brought you to power as State Governors, over other matters. I believe that you are more conscious of the roles and responsibilities imposed on your by your declaration as elected governors.
The security challenges that were mere stories to the rest
of us, happening in other places, as
strange and abnormal have finally come to our part of Nigeria. The external and
distant narrative of criminal activities has since the 1990s become a
terrifying reality. Terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, rape,
cybercrime, extortion, drugs abuse and trafficking, once very alien in the
northern environment have now become the narrative in social and conventional
media: local, national and international. The frequency of occurrence of these
crimes has become worrisome and are undermining the development of the affected
and surrounding states and across Nigeria. The security challenges must be
confronted and addressed primarily through local efforts using our national and
state agencies to conquer these crimes.
Respected Governors, I do not need to bore you by recounting
the implications and dimensions of the security challenges. I am certain that
the relevant security agencies and traditional institutions are keeping you
abreast of the security situation. Although you do get suggestions and ideas on
measures to address the security challenges, it is important to appeal to you
not to submit to dictation from within Nigeria and without, to complicate the
security situation by entertaining the very imperialistic idea of bringing in
foreign military bases to Nigeria. There is the need to exercise vigilant
caution by offers from pretentious friends that are claiming to have solutions
to the security challenges.
I learnt that all the governors in the 19 states were in the
United States to discuss, strangely the security challenges affecting the
northern parts of Nigeria. I also learnt that the trip was under the auspices
of the United States Instute for Peace (USIP) which gives the impression that
it was a sponsored meeting. Although it seems that was paved with good
intention, it appears to curious observers that it was one of the desperate
efforts by the United States of America to persuade, or even, induce you to
accept the relocation of the American Military Base, ejected by the Republic of
Niger, to Nigeria. It seems that France too is trying to tow the way of the
Americans by pressing to relocate its military from the Republic of Niger to
Nigeria.
On the face of it, having foreign military bases to assist
in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel may seem a good idea. However, the
history and intent of foreign military bases in other parts of Africa and
elsewhere show that it is not what it promises, no matter how elegant and
diplomatically dressed and presented. Foreign Military Bases are never
established to serve the interest of the country they are located in. They are
the first line of imposing control on people by military means. Remember that
French military bases in Africa are designed to preserve and sustain the
colonial exploitation of African countries and ensuring that no leaders, with
independence of mind and judgment, rule these African countries.
It is important to remind you that this imperialistic
mission has not changed. France brazenly steals African countries' resources
under its carefully worded pretentious independence for its colonies. Burkina
Faso, Mali and Niger have come to the painful realisation that their countries
will continue to remain, poor, brutally exploited and left underdeveloped with
France in control of their countries. It is fitting that the leaders of these
countries have taken the right steps by throwing out these countries and their
controlling military bases. The Republic of Niger is in control of its uranium
and is earning more from it than when France was cashing on it at the rate of
about $208 and was giving Niger a mere $7.0 - from the sale of its mineral
resource! This had been going on for years to the disadvantage of the Republic
of Niger and its people. This is what France practices and calls it friendly
relations.
Please note that when the Nigerien Government decided to get
the Americans to leave their country with their military, the initial reaction
was to threaten that country. However, it seems that the Americans have gone
back and calculated that it is better to pretend to respect the independence of
that country and hope to relocate the drone military base to Nigeria. Although the Nigerian Information Minister
has disputed this claim. But let me state that you need to remain vigilant and
ensure that the declaration by the Federal Government holds true.
It is important to draw your attention to the existing
American military base in Ghana - very close to Nigeria. By the terms imposed
on Ghana, it has lost its sovereignty to control what the American military and
its personnel bring into and do in Ghana. For one, American soldiers can enter
into that country without visa, without passport and without any agency at any
port of entry checking them. No Ghanaian, including the President, can enter
into the military base or inspect any equipment, military or not. The space
occupied by the military base has become American soil to the loss of Ghana.
Please endeavour to watch the video clip by Mr. Kwesi Prat on the American
military base in Ghana.
The Americans have established a history of ensuring
contempt for the citizens of the countries where they have military bases by
ensuring that the American soldiers are above the law. They can rape and kill
your citizens and go scot-free: they cannot be arrested, they cannot be
prosecuted and they cannot be sanctioned. It will be a tragedy of monumental
proportions for any governor in any part of Nigeria to accept this
self-inflicting servitude to America. Once the military base is allowed to be
stationed in any part of Nigeria, that area will cease to become Nigeria's
territory.
One of the security challenges in Nigeria that draws global
attention was the Jama'atul Ahlus Sunnah Liddawa'ati wal Jihad, popularly
referred to as Boko Haram and ISIS/ISWAP. It is a very strange proposition,
coming from the Americans, that they are going to station a military base to
fight terrorism in the Sahel. How come that since the establishment of the
American military base in the Republic of Niger there was no any appreciable
success in the fight against terrorists in the Sahel? It was that failed promise
that made the Nigerien government throw out the Americans and their military.
Ordinarily given Nigerian antecedents in protecting its sovereignty and
fighting for Africa, Nigeria would have objected to having any foreign military
bases in Africa. The experiences of Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger under
the French is enough warning and their expulsion of foreign controlling forces
is also instructive.
The fight against Boko Haram has been a revelation on the
role of France in the North East and countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. In the context of politics of
international relations several denials have been issued on the involvement of
France in aifing the terrorists. But the experiences of the people in Borno and
Adamawa States and Cameroon seem to suggest that French citizens are complicit
in aifing the terrorists. Let us accept the French denial.
However, its historical antecedents in sabotaging Nigeria
and ECOWAS should serve as enough warning and the need for caution. France
actively supported attempts at the balkanisation of Nigeria during the civil
war. France undermined efforts toward having a common ECOWAS currency when it
got its African stooges to pronounce transition from the CFA to the ECO. France
against the interest of the Republic of Niger detonated, by way of testing a
nuclear bomb. Nigeria had to severe relations with that country. It is still
taking away about $500bn annually from the countries it colonised and refused
to allow to become independent. Is it this country, France, that will set up a
military base in Nigeria for the purpose of protecting Nigerian citizens?
This letter is addressed to you because the security
challenges are affecting your states, individually and collectively. The issue
of allowing foreign military bases suggest that the locations are likely to be
in the states affected by the security challenges. It is a very dangerous to
the sovereignty, security and interest of the people in these states. This is a
fundamental matter for the whole country, not just your states. But since the
seeming target for the location of the French and American military bases is
likely in one of your states. Although the FGN has claimed that there is no
such plan, it is necessary to draw your attention to the implications and the
dangers that these bases pose to our collective security.
I wish you well and success in Governing the people for
peace, security and development to prevail. Trust the people and inspire them
to make our country secure by utilizing all the available resources in their
favour. Best regards and successful tenure.
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