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Biafra has no future, we won’t support it – France
France , a former friend of Biafra in the 1967 secession bid, has ruled out any support for the secession of any part of the country, particularly Biafra. France’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, told newsmen that his country would not in anyway work with any group agitating for the dismemberment of the nation.
The Ambassador explained how France helped the former Goodluck Jonathan’s government to organise a regional meeting with neighbouring Francophone countries, Chad Cameroon and Republic of Benin, in Paris, in 2014, following which the Multinational Joint Task Force, MJTF was established to fight Boko Haram. “Apart from encouraging neighbouring African countries to cooperate with Nigeria, we have also developed a strong bilateral relationship with the Nigerian Armed forces. In May 2015, the Defence Ministers of Nigeria and France signed a first-ever cooperation agreement between the two armed forces. Also, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, recently warned those agitating for an independent state to “forget it.” The groups are Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). Though they have the same aim, they are rival groups; and have consistently clashed with themselves and security agents. Speaking in Abuja after receiving an award conferred on him by a coalition of over 80 civil society organisations (CSOs), Buratai said the army would not condone any act that could lead to the disintegration of the country. “Those individuals and groups that are bent on destablising our country I think they have to wait till may be the next three or four millennium for them to do that. That is, may be the next generation of officers and men will allow them at all,” he said.