Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the country remains committed to reinforcing regional security collaboration after a high-level meeting with Chad’s leader, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, news.ng reports.
The President, while addressing the press after a private meeting with his Chadian counterpart, said the visit was timely, revealing that discussions focused on dealing with the continued attacks by terrorist groups in the region, referring to the Lake Chad Basin—a stronghold of the insurgents.
Recall that during the administration of the immediate past leaders of the two countries, at the height of insurgent attacks in the region, the two countries established some level of joint military operations, which led to a drastic reduction in the activities of the insurgents at that time.
Meanwhile, in his address, President Tinubu identified security as the top agenda, mentioning the role of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) in tackling terrorism.
He said, “It is a very great honour and privilege to welcome my brother, Muhammad Idris Deby Itno, to visit, to discuss two main important items.
“The first being the security challenges that we are facing in this region, particularly the Chadian Basin. The Joint Task Force is responsible to face the challenge of terrorism and banditry in our region.”
The President noted that the two countries are on the same page in addressing insecurity while protecting their sovereignty.
“The two countries are mobilised to combat terrorism and fight and eliminate all acts of terror to our people and ensure we maintain the sovereignty of our two nations,” Tinubu added.
While insecurity was at the top of the agenda, discussions on economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries were also touched upon.
According to the President, “We have agreed on a great responsibility to come along with what we are inheriting from our forebears is to ensure peace and stability for development of our region, to ensure that our people can trade, commerce among them result in one, a tiny geographical separation, and the language is not a barrier.”
He concluded with optimism that insecurity in the region can be curbed if there is continued cooperation between the two countries.
“It’s an opportunity to fight terrorism and develop our people for prosperity now and for the future. That’s basically what my brother and myself have discussed today,” he added.
