By Ene Osang
Abuja
Peace advocates under the aegis of Concerned Statesmen and Patriots In Nigeria (COSPIN) have expressed concern over the role of France in the activities of Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, convener of the coalition, Prof. Emmanuel Ome, said the concern was necessitated by the silence of the French authorities despite the arrest of its nationals during the raid on Ground Zero in Sambisa Forest by the Nigerian Army.
He said France also owes Nigeria and the world an explanation regarding the sighting of its aircrafts just across Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger on numerous occasions by IDPs and victims of Boko Haram attacks.
Ome said the federal government must conduct further investigations into the roles being played by France and other countries in its internal affairs using Boko Haram as an occupation force with a view to fashioning corresponding diplomatic responses to these threats.
He said: “The fact that Boko Haram fleeing fighters suddenly have access to superior firearms that are even more sophisticated than what they had before they were chased out of Sambisa Forest. Who is supplying these weapons? How are these weapons being shipped? Why are the neighbouring countries to Nigeria’s north-east, all Francophone, not been able to flag deliveries of weapons to the terrorists?
“Why has France not come out to declare its position on the several fighters of French origin that were apprehended with Boko Haram fighters in Sambisa Forest? The fact that these terrorists’ instructors were declared as French nationals should have provoked diplomatic fallout but France maintained a deafening silence in the matter.
“French President François Hollande has hosted, or caused to be hosted, several summits on Boko Haram only for things to get worse.”
