From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has condemned the alleged permission granted to France to establish an expeditionary military base in Nigeria.
According to CNG, the decision is linked to a bilateral agreement signed between Nigeria and France, granting the latter unrestricted access to Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.
The National Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, made this known at a press conference in Abuja.
He stated that since the inception of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigerians have witnessed both overt and covert diplomatic maneuvers at the highest levels of government. These moves, he claimed, aim to surrender Nigeria’s sovereignty to France under misleading pretenses.
“We recall with trepidation that barely a year into his presidency, the same belligerent European nation, France, was identified as the inveterate promoter and sponsor of the disintegration of ECOWAS. This created a perceptible war atmosphere in the previously peaceful West African sub-region.
“It took the collective wisdom and uncommon display of Pan-Africanism by renowned statesmen and millions of concerned citizens to quell the incendiary fire ignited by France in its desperate bid to subjugate its rebellious former colonies to neocolonial servitude, using Nigeria as a willing tool.
“It should also not escape our memory that this same France spearheaded the resistance by powerful Western nations to the launch of the West African common currency,” Charanchi said.
The CNG argued that, given France’s history of imperial interference in Africa, it is shocking that Nigeria, with its proud history of championing African sovereignty could submit to such foreign influence.
“We refuse to accept this and hereby reaffirm our resolve,” he said.