There Will Be Trouble For Nigeria, Others If Chad Insecurity Escalates, Says Magashi

There will be a lot of trouble for Nigeria and all other countries sharing borders with Chad if the security in the West African country escalates, Major General Bashir Magashi has said.

Magashi, who is the Minister of Defence, made the remark on Thursday at the continued special weekly ministerial briefing held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He was reacting to the recent happenings in Chad following the death of President Idriss Deby who died of injuries he sustained while fighting rebels in the north of the Sahel country.

The minister admitted that the absence of Chad’s influence on the borders would likely worsen the security situation for neighbouring countries.

He, however, noted that there were a lot of ongoing military operations, through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which he said were expected to continue.

“We remain mindful of our borders, and the developments in Chad; we are beefing up security at our borders following the developments in Chad,” the minister told reporters.

The shocking announcement of the death of the 68-year-old on Tuesday came a day after was proclaimed the winner of a presidential election that had given him a sixth term in office.

On Wednesday, Deby’s 37-year-old son, Mahamat, was named to succeed his father as residents questioned what would come next in the dust and heat of N’Djamena, the country’s capital.

Magashi also spoke about the situation in the country, including the recent killing of some soldiers in Benue State.

Magashi condoled with families and loved ones of the slain soldiers, as well as that of other security officers who have paid the ultimate price to secure Nigeria.

“Whoever touches the military has no regard for this country,” he said, adding that nine of 12 weapons belonging to the murdered soldiers have been recovered with some suspects arrested in connection with the killings.

The minister also highlighted the ongoing military operations across the country, including Lafiya Dole, Hadarin Daji, Tura Takai Bango, Thunder Strike, Safe Haven, Whirl Stroke, and Delta Safe, among others.

According to him, the task of ensuring security is not for the security and law enforcement agencies alone but should be seen as a collective effort that requires credible intelligence that can best be provided by local communities.