NewsNigeriaUS Embassy Refutes Rumours of Military Base Construction in Nigeria

The United States Embassy in Nigeria has flatly denied recent claims regarding alleged plans of the US government to establish a military base in the country. These allegations surfaced after some northern Nigerian leaders expressed concerns about the potential for a new defence pact with the US.

According to the leaders, such a pact could pave the way for the redeployment of American troops previously stationed in the Sahel region. They warned that a foreign military presence could further strain relations with neighbouring countries.

In a televised interview with TVC News on Tuesday, David Greene, the US chargé d’affaires in Nigeria, dismissed the rumours. He emphasised that the US has no intention of building a military base in Nigeria.

“I am not aware of any such conversation, and I am not really sure whose purpose it serves to agitate on this point,” Greene said.

The reported anxieties stem from ongoing security challenges in the country, including banditry and insurgencies.

However, Greene said the U.S. is only focused on alternative forms of collaboration, such as existing military training programs and intelligence-sharing initiatives.

He said, “We will continue our very strong security cooperation with the Nigerian security services, the Nigerian military, and the Nigerian government, and that will always be in a spirit of partnership and respect for each other.”

It remains to be seen whether this denial will quell the concerns of the prominent Nigerians who sparked the conversation.