By Paul Joseph
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday received his Chadian counterpart, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, at the State House in Abuja, marking the latter’s first official visit to Nigeria since assuming office.
Déby arrived at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock Villa, at about 2 p.m., where he was welcomed by the Nigerian leader. The visit comes nearly two years after Tinubu attended Déby’s inauguration in N’Djamena in May 2024.
The 42-year-old Chadian leader rose to power following the death of his father, former President Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed in April 2021 while leading troops against rebel forces in northern Chad. He was subsequently installed as head of a Transitional Military Council, later transitioning into civilian leadership after winning the 2024 presidential election.
Thursday’s engagement marks the second high-level diplomatic visit hosted by Tinubu within a week, following his reception of Terrance Drew on March 26.
While details of the closed-door meeting were not immediately disclosed, presidency sources indicated that discussions were expected to centre on regional security and counterterrorism efforts in the Lake Chad Basin.
Chad remains a strategic ally in Nigeria’s fight against insurgent groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, both of which have sustained attacks across the Lake Chad region.
The meeting also comes amid shifting regional dynamics, particularly Chad’s withdrawal from French military agreements in 2024 and broader changes within West Africa’s security alliances.
Nigeria and Chad share longstanding diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties, with cooperation largely focused on security and cross-border trade.
As of the time of filing this report, discussions between the two leaders were still ongoing, with expectations that outcomes may shape future regional security collaboration.
Leave a Reply