By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative (NSYEI), a northern youth pressure group that seeks to protect the interests of the region, has frowned against the seeming close romance between France and the Tinubu administration.

Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative is a non-political, non-religious pressure group that fights to protect the interests of the North and promote good governance in the region

In a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, Director General of the movement, Dr Abdullahi Idris, recalled that during his recent state visit to France, President Bola Ahmed signed many bilateral agreements with the president of France including on military cooperation and exploitation of Nigeria's mineral resources by France.

"At the moment our people in the north live in apprehension of the possible setting up of French military bases in the north and the exacerbation of the insecurity that has already ravaged the region going by the antecedents of France that has made it to be kicked out of almost all its former colonies in Africa including our neighbours of Niger, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso. Why is Nigeria now inviting them?? Idris queried.

He called on the federal government to be transparent on the kind of deals it signed with France and the benefits they will bring to Nigeria in order to allay the fears and apprehensions of the people of the North who are likely to be the victims of France's traditional misadventure in Africa.

?Wishing our brothers and sisters a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. May all that is peaceful, meaningful and brings joy be ours this holiday season and throughout the coming year,? he added.