By Hamza Suleiman

The Headquarters, Theatre Command, Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) of the Nigerian Army, has dismissed claims of the establishment of a French military base in Maiduguri.

In a statement on Monday, Capt. Reuben Kovangiya, Army Public Relations, OPHK, described the claims as baseless and misleading.

The clarification followed allegations by a social media influencer, Mahdi Shehu, on his X handle, claiming that a French military base had been established in Maiduguri.

Shehu supported his claim with a video showing the acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. Abubakar Haruna, alongside a foreign officer, who he alleged to be a French military representative.

Kovangiya, however, clarified that the video in question was recorded during a recent press briefing at Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, after the donation of equipment to the army by the British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT).

“The officer seen in the video is a representative of BMATT, not a French military official.

“The donation, received by the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, on Oct. 25, was part of an ongoing military partnership with BMATT to strengthen counter-IED capabilities in the theatre of operations,” he said.

Kovangiya emphasised that there was no French military presence in Maiduguri, nor any plans to establish one.

He accused Shehu of deliberately spreading falsehoods and attempting to manipulate public opinion through the use of doctored content.

“The claims made by Shehu Mahdi are baseless misrepresentations and a deliberate attempt to cause misinformation and incite the public.

“Such antics are malicious and aimed at gaining cheap popularity,” he added. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo