The government of Chad has announced the immediate closure of its border with Nigeria, citing security concerns following reports of alleged US military plans in West Africa.
According to military sources in N’Djamena, President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno ordered a complete military lockdown along the Nigerian border after intelligence suggested that terrorist elements from northern Nigeria were preparing to flee into Chadian territory.
‘No armed group or foreign force will be allowed to enter Chadian soil under any disguise,” President Déby warned, emphasizing the country’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty. The Chadian army has been placed on full alert, with troops and armored vehicles deployed across key border corridors linking the two countries.
The move comes amid heightened regional tension and growing speculation over America’s alleged military activities in parts of West Africa, particularly in response to the killings of Christians in Nigeria. US President Donald Trump had threatened military action against “Islamic terrorists” in Nigeria, stating that the US would *”immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities”
The border closure is seen as a preventive measure aimed at safeguarding Chadian sovereignty and preventing possible infiltration by armed groups exploiting regional instability. Security analysts note that border closures are a common reactive measure in the Lake Chad Basin, where insurgent groups like Boko Haram exploit weak borders and porous frontiers to shift operations across countries.