Army dispels claim of French military presence in Borno

The Nigerian Army has debunked claims on social media of French military presence in Borno State.

Recently, an activist, Mahdi Shehu, claimed on his X (Twitter) account, that a French military base had been set up in the Lake Chad region.

But the acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Capt. Reuben Kovangiya, in a statement, described the claim as a ‘baseless misrepresentation’ and a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation.

This controversy started after the activist backed his claim with a video clip showing the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Abubakar Haruna, flanked by a foreign military officer, claiming it was a French soldier.

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However, the Nigerian Army has clarified that the foreign officer was actually a member of the British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT), who was present during the donation of equipment to Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) on October 25, 2024.

According to the statement, the Nigerian Army assured the public that there was no intention to establish a French military base in the North East Theatre of Operation.

The army also emphasised its long-standing partnership with BMATT, which has provided training support and equipment to help combat the menace of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the region.