French soldiers have been deployed to Maiduguri in Borno, a northeastern state in Nigeria, to assist in the fight against Boko Haram, as reported in several Facebook posts.
Boko Haram is a terrorist group responsible for a series of attacks on civilians, schools, and government facilities, as well as kidnappings.
One of their most notorious acts was the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, also in Borno state.
One post, published 16 December 2024, is headlined: “END OF DENIAL: COMMENCEMENT OF FRANCE MILITARY DEPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA.”
The post includes a video of a soldier addressing the media in Hausa, the primary language spoken in northern Nigeria. Standing next to him is a white man dressed in military fatigues and a cap.
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Part of the post reads: “Yesterday, the Chief of Army staff received the first contingent of French soldiers and immediately deployed them to maiduguri to ‘HELP NIGERIA IN FIGHTING BOKO HARAM’ . The same boko haram they claimed to have decimated and are scamping for safety.”
During his speech on Nigeria’s Independence Day on October 1st, President Bola Tinubu claimed that the government had swiftly “eliminated” Boko Haram and bandit commanders, with over 300 reportedly taken down as of the latest count.
Additionally, in a bid to strengthen economic relations with France, Tinubu visited French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2024, sparking speculation on social media.
Some online posts have raised doubts about the president’s statement regarding the elimination of Boko Haram, and there are claims that the Nigerian army chief has welcomed French soldiers, who are expected to be deployed to Maiduguri.
Similar posts can be found here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But does the video show French soldiers’ deployed in Maiduguri? We checked.
‘False claim’
On December 16, the Nigerian army refuted claims that a French military base was being established in the northeast, clarifying that no such plans were in place.
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The army explained that the video in question was taken during a different event on October 25, where Brigadier General Abubakar Haruna addressed the press alongside a member of the British Military Advisory Training Team.
Africa Check, using keywords from the statement, located a longer version of the video on News Central TV’s YouTube page, posted on October 27.
The video includes a caption stating, “UK Military Supports Nigeria with Counter-IED Equipment for Counterterrorism.”
This caption supports the army’s explanation that the video was recorded during the presentation of counter-improvised explosive device (IED) equipment, aimed at enhancing operations in northeastern Nigeria.
According to the YouTube video, the white soldier seen is Colonel Martin Leach, the deputy head of the British Defence Staff for West Africa.
The video does not feature French soldiers deployed in Nigeria, nor does it provide any evidence to support such claims.
Similar posts can be found here, here, here and here.
Credit: Africa Check
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