Commending the Nigerian Government for its decision to reject foreign military bases in the country, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, expressed gratitude for the bold and reassuring stance taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, National Publicity Secretary of ACF, every African should take pride in this development.
Victory was declared by the ACF for patriotic Nigerians who had indicated their readiness to oppose the rumored plans to host United States and French military bases in Nigeria, similar to the rejections in Burkina Faso and Niger.
ACF called out a civil society organization, Human Rights Writers Association, HURIWA, for allegedly backing the establishment of military bases.
Expressing disappointment with HURIWA’s stance, the ACF emphasized Nigeria’s commitment as an independent and sovereign African country in solidarity with sister African nations, especially ECOWAS members, against the remnants of colonialism and neo-colonialism that hinder Africa’s development.
Reflecting on the experiences of countries like Burkina Faso and Niger hosting foreign military bases for years, the ACF highlighted that such bases generally serve the interests of advanced countries and operate independently of the host nation’s laws, adhering solely to their own regulations.
The statement emphasized the interconnected historical, socio-cultural, economic, and political ties among African countries pre-dating colonial influence, underscoring that what is detrimental to one African nation cannot be beneficial to another, given their shared destinies.