The Minister of Foreign Affairs has given indications that Nigeria will not support the deployment of United States (US) combatant troops in Africa under the new US/Africa Command (AFRICOM).
The Minister said “If it is about the command is about stationing US troops on African soil, we feel there is no need for that. We feel it will be a derogation of the sovereignty of African states to station foreign troops on African soil,”
"It is counter-productive because we even believe that such stationing of combat troops in African soil at a time when Africa is not at war with anybody sends the wrong kind of message. It is counter productive even to US interest. If there is one continent that is not hostile to the United States, by reason of its own understanding of its regional interest, it is Africa.
We want to see the Command not in terms of US military bases in Africa because there is no need for that.”
He was reminded that the Liberian President has offered Liberia as a base for AFRICOM and the Minister responded saying “we will not comment on Liberia’s position because we need to read their statement and the context of what the Liberian government is saying because presence does not have to mean combat troops.
It could mean exchange of information, it could mean training facilities. Even Nigeria has benefited from training facilities from the United States. If that is what the command is all about, there is nothing new about that.” " Nigeria was yet to receive a formal document which explains AFRICOM, even after it has been launched for more than three months"
http://www.ngex.com/news/public/newsinfo.php?nid=5044
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