TINUBU HOSTS CHADIAN PRESIDENT DÉBY IN ABUJA AMID REGIONAL SECURITY TALKS

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday received the President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, at the State House in Abuja.

The visit marks Déby’s first official trip to Nigeria since Tinubu attended his inauguration in N’Djamena on May 23, 2024.

Déby, 42, assumed leadership of Chad following the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed by rebels in April 2021 while leading troops during the Northern Chad offensive. He was subsequently named head of a Transitional Military Council and later emerged as president after winning the May 2024 election.

Thursday’s meeting comes just a week after Tinubu hosted Terrance Drew, making Déby the second foreign leader received within a short period.

Although details of the talks were not immediately disclosed, sources indicated that discussions are likely to focus on regional security, particularly efforts to combat terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Chad remains a key partner in Nigeria’s fight against insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

The meeting also comes amid shifts in regional alliances, including Chad’s withdrawal from French military agreements and broader changes involving Sahel nations.

Nigeria and Chad maintain longstanding diplomatic, economic, and security ties, with ongoing collaboration to address cross-border threats and promote stability in the region.

As of the time of filing this report, discussions between both leaders were still ongoing.