Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bolaji Akinyemi, has cautioned against moves to establish a United States military base in Nigeria. Akinyemi warned that it is “the last thing that Nigeria wants” as it could escalate the country’s security problems.
In an interview with Arise News recently, Akinyemi expressed shock at the reports of a new military base being set up in Nigeria, saying, “I am shocked about this development and I hope it is not true. We have a long history about attempts at installing a military base in Nigeria. This would not be the first time that there would be an attempt to have a military base in Nigeria if it is true that there is such an attempt.”
Akinyemi warned of the potential consequences of hosting a foreign military base, stating, “The last thing Nigeria wants is to have a military base by a superpower in counterpoise to another superpower because, in a way, Russia moving into Niger, into Mali, into Burkina Faso, the United States moving into Nigeria brings us right into confrontation with each other, and that’s the last thing we want. I know that we have problems with the jihadists, with ISIS, we have security problems, but the solution is not for us to be in confrontation with another superpower. We will maximize our problems. Therefore, I hope it is not true.”
Citing the experiences of countries in the Sahel region, Akinyemi questioned the effectiveness of foreign military presence in addressing security challenges.
“If the presence of France and the United States has been beneficial in the Sahel, those countries would not be asking them to leave. Obviously, they have not found it beneficial, that’s number one,” he said.
He further cautioned, “Number two, all you’ve done is to bring the jihadists and ISIS, and the East-West, to bring them further down towards Nigeria. Right now, Mali and the other countries have been a buffer between us and ISIS. Now that you would be removing the United States and what have you, you’ve brought them right into the border with Nigeria.”
Addressing concerns about potential strain on Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with the United States if the proposal is rejected, Akinyemi pointed to historical precedents.
“This is not the first time that Nigeria and the United States would have a conversation on this issue of having a military base. There was a time when the United States raised this issue of having a West African base for the United States, and several West African countries were consulted, and at the end of the day, Nigeria turned down the proposal,” he said.
He emphasized that the broader interests between the two countries supersede the issue of hosting a military base. He said: “The interest of Nigeria is not the only country that is going to be affected if we decide to have an American base in Nigeria. Nigeria and the United States have a broad-based interest that overrides just having a military base. After all, when we turned down the British base in 1960, our relationship did not come crashing down. It continued. We will simply reformat our relationship.”
Akinyemi urged Nigeria to focus on addressing its internal security challenges without relying on foreign military intervention.
His words: “Don’t let us export our problems. I know we have problems within the Nigerian armed forces, let us sort that out. Let’s not sort it out by bringing the Americans. You bring in the Americans, you bring them in with their own problems. We shouldn’t do that,” he advised.
The remarks by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs come amidst reports of a potential plan by the United States to convince President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to accede to the establishment of a military base in Nigeria. This proposal has sparked debates and concerns about the implications of hosting a foreign military presence on Nigerian soil and its potential impact on regional security dynamics.
Akinyemi’s perspective highlights the delicate balance that Nigeria must strike between addressing its security challenges and maintaining its sovereignty and strategic autonomy in the face of global power dynamics.
