Following the death of President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad during a frontline engagement with rebels, there has been an air of uncertainty hovering on the West African country that shares strategic borders with Nigeria in the northern part.
The Nigerian government has been so worried about the likely influx of rebels and weapons into the country with the death of Itno, who was a dependable ally in the fight against terrorism.
Consequently, the Nigerian government has moved to beef up security around her borders with Chad Republic.
Also, the Federal Government has warned that attacks on Police formations by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the Southeast and killing of military officials in Benue state respectively would no longer be tolerated.
These positions were announced on Thursday in Abuja by the Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), while briefing State House Correspondents at the “Special Weekly Briefing” organised by the Presidential Communication Team.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Government was aware that the absence of Chad’s influence on the border might worsen Nigeria and other neigbouring countries’ security situations hence, the need to beef up security at the border to forestall breaches.
He said it was for this reason the Federal Government would beef up security around its borders, particularly with the Republic of Chad following the ongoing unrest in the country, which the government said might escalate insecurity in the Nigeria.
Magashi, however, said that in order to prevent a situation where bandits would infiltrate the borders, influx of refugees into the country would be controlled.
Read him: “If there’s no security in Chad there will be a lot of trouble for all neighboring countries. But thankfully we have a lot of ongoing military co-operation, through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF), which we expect to continue.
“We remain mindful of our borders and developments in Chad.
“When we heard of this unfortunate killing of the Chadian President, we knew that problem is bound to be replicated among neigbouring countries and Nigeria will be most hit by his absence.
“If there is insecurity in Chad, there will be a lot of problems. But thank God, we have a lot of military activities with the Chadian, Niger Cameroon, we have all that military concern. So, in the name of that multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF), all these countries, including Chad, are contributing countries for the operation.
“We hope that very soon, we will find a secure way of the continuation of the activities we’re supposed to be doing. The problem is now going to be aggravated. Because we are not sure the direction in which that country is going to face.
“But I assure you that we are mindful of our borders, we are mindful of the development, and politically, the government is putting its head together to see how best they can restore the peace in that country.
“So security wise, we’re beefing up all borders to ensure that refugees did not flow into a country. Even Nigerians there I’m sure some of them would like to come back. We have to make ready. Let’s prepare for them and not allow them to come in and use others to come because of the problems that they will create.
“The issue of weapons and armament, we are also afraid of that. Before now, Chad has been the one stopping most of these infiltration of weapons and the rest of it. Now, that is free for all right from Libya down to Nigeria. It’s very easy now because the absence of the influence of Chad in that route. So we also have to take care of that.
“I think we are on top of the situation. All we are praying is that African countries will find a solution to the problem of Chad and get in a more corrective society as respected by international organisations.”
The Defence minister also disclosed that the Federal Government had declared the current attacks on Police formations in the Southeast as an affront on Nigeria’s security architecture and warned that such would no longer be tolerated.
He also said the killers of 12 Nigerian soldiers in Benue State would be brought to book.
According to him: “Whoever touches the military has no regard for this country.”
Magashi added that nine of 12 weapons belonging to the murdered soldiers had been recovered, and arrests were being made.
He assured Nigerians that the perpetrators of the acts would not escape the long arms of the law.
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