Shehu Sani faults Buhari for asking US to relocate AFRICOM hq to Africa

Senator for Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, Shehu Sani has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s call for the United States government to consider relocating US Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Stuttgart, Germany, to Africa, nearer the Theatre of Operation.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Sani said the president’s call was “unconscionable” and amounted to calling for the recolonisation of Africa.

Recall that Buhari made the call during his Tuesday virtual meeting with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.

“The security challenges in Nigeria remain of great concern to us and impacted more negatively, by existing complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad Region.

“Compounded as the situation remains, Nigeria and her security forces remain resolutely committed to containing them and addressing their root causes. The support of important and strategic partners like United States cannot be overstated as the consequences of insecurity will affect all nations hence the imperative for concerted cooperation and collaboration of all nations to overcome these challenges.

“In this connection, and considering the growing security challenges in West and Central Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad region and the Sahel, weighing heavily on Africa, it underscores the need for the United States to consider re-locating AFRICOM Headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany to Africa and near the Theatre of Operation,’’ Buhari said.

However, Sani faulted the call for relocation of AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa.

“Over six decades since Independence, African countries should purposefully work together to confront & address their security challenges, while honorably seeking foreign technical assistance. The call for the US to relocate its @USAfricaCommand
HQ to Africa is unconscionable.

“Once the US relocates their HQ to Africa, Russia, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel and co would follow suit with establishing their commands HQs, and then Africa will be militarily balkanised; then we either become like Korea or like Syria.

“The President’s call for world powers military HQ on African Soil is an open invitation for recolonisation of Africa.

“It’s easier to tell and get them to come and when they come, it’s impossible to tell and get them to go out.”