ABSTRACT

Language is a primary mode of human expression. This attribute delineates humans from other animals. With the use of language in its oral and written forms, humans are able to communicate and express their feelings within the cultural norms. Human languages are prone to enhancing socio-cultural, political, economic and scientific activities of the people in an organized society. They are instrumental to our social interactions and meaningful communication in all ramifications. Nigeria is a country where diverse indigenous and foreign languages are spoken but with English as her “Lingua franca”. As an Anglophone country, Nigeria is bordered by French speaking countries to the East, West and North. For a good working relationship and productive communication with her French-speaking neighbours, the Nigerian populace, especially the security agencies require a good knowledge of French language. Security is the live wire of every society as any breach usually constitutes a very serious menace to its political, economic and social development. This paper examines the empirical role of French language in the Nigerian security architecture. The paper also looked into a brief history of French language in Nigeria and why the teaching and learning of French language should be taken seriously considering its social, political and economic benefits. The paper equally examines the concept of security and the relationship between French language and security in Nigeria. With the recent spate in insurgency and terrorism in the country, French language in particular, should be considered as a tool for enhanced security and maintenance of peace. The paper adopts empirical method as the frame work of analysis and concludes that the importance of French language within the context of military operations cannot be overemphasized.