Open Letter to 19 Governors in the North of Nigeria - Foreign Military Bases Cannot Solve Our Security Challenges

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.