The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.), on Thursday, said the Federal Government knew that the killing of Chad’s President, Idriss Deby, was capable of causing security problems for Nigeria and other neighbouring countries.
The minister, who spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja during the weekly briefing organised by the presidential communication team, said government feared that insecurity in Chad could lead to proliferation of illegal arms in Nigeria.
Magashi stated these as gunmen kidnapped no fewer than seven people in Oyo and Kaduna states between Wednesday and Thursday.
In Oyo State, kidnappers of five occupants of a vehicle are demanding N50m for the release of their victims, who were abducted on the Igboora-Eruwa road on Wednesday night.
In Kaduna State, health workers have threatened to go on strike if the state government fails to ensure the release of two nurses who were abducted on Thursday morning.
Apparently preparing the minds of Nigerians for the implications of the recent incident in Chad, where Deby died as a result of the injuries he sustained in a battle with the country’s rebels, the minister stated that Nigeria would be hit most by the development.
He said, “When we heard of this unfortunate killing of the Chadian President, we knew that the problem is bound to be replicated among neigbouring countries and Nigeria will be hit most 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 Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
“So, under the aegis of the Multinational Joint Task Force, all these countries, including Chad, are contributing soldiers for the operation (against Boko Haram insurgents).
“We hope that very soon, we will find a secure way for the continuation of the activities we are supposed to be doing.
“The problem is now going to be aggravated because we are not sure the direction that country ( Chad) is going to face.
“But I assure you that we are mindful of our borders. We are mindful of the development (in Chad)…We are beefing up security at all borders to ensure that refugees do not flow into the country.”
The minister said the Federal Government was also afraid about possible proliferation of weapons as a result of the development in Chad.
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