Chad’s Disintegration May Cause Serious Consequences — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the global community not
to the threats by the Chadian rebel groups clamouring to overthrow
the government with levity as the consequences of a destabilized
Chad to the sub-region cannot be imagined.

He spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of the Extraordinary
Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin
Commission convened to discuss the recent developments in Chad
after President Idris Deby Itno died on the frontline while
defending the territorial integrity of his country.

Buhari, who declared the one-day summit open in his capacity as
the chairman of leaders of LCBC member-countries, urged the
international community to support Chad to conclude the transition
from military to democratic government in a peaceful manner within
the set time of 18 months.

He rallied development partners and countries particularly
France, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the
Netherlands, and Russia; the United Nations, the African Union and
the European Union, as well as other friendly and partner nations
to support the transition framework put in place by Chad’s
Transition Military Council led by General Mahamat Idris Deby.

Buhari, while speaking at the in-person meeting attended by the
Presidents of Central African Republic, Niger, Chad, Chairman of
the Presidential Council of Libya and a representative of the
president of Cameroon, said the death of Itno had direct
implications for the continued peace and stability of Chad as a
nation, the Lake Chad region and the wider Sahel Region.

‘‘Our region is faced with difficult, several challenges that
need the support and engagement of all to overcome.

‘‘While transnational crimes and rebellion cutting across our
region continue to evolve in scope, the attendant conflicts also
continue to retain their distinct form of inflicting untold
hardship and difficulty on the lives of our citizens.

‘‘The threats by the Chadian rebel groups, who are clamouring to
overthrow the government, must be viewed with all the seriousness
they deserve because the consequences of a destabilized Chad to the
sub-region cannot be imagined.

‘‘The flow of refugees and displaced persons from the country,
unrestrained flow of arms, drugs and other harmful substances into
Lake Chad and Sahel Regions, which are already challenged by
terrorists seeking to establish parallel systems, would further
compound the security and stability of our areas and neighbouring
countries.

‘‘It is, therefore, our collective duty and in honour of the
memory of the men and women that have died in search of peace in
the region, to rise in unison as leaders of the region to ensure
that peace, stability and security are not disrupted in Chad and in
the entire region.

‘‘These challenges, which are fuelled by an interplay of poverty
and the loss of sustainable means of livelihood due to climate
change, have been further exacerbated by the direct consequence of
complete breakdown of law and order in Libya,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the global community not
to the threats by the Chadian rebel groups clamouring to overthrow
the government with levity as the consequences of a destabilized
Chad to the sub-region cannot be imagined.

He spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of the Extraordinary
Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin
Commission convened to discuss the recent developments in Chad
after President Idris Deby Itno died on the frontline while
defending the territorial integrity of his country.

Buhari, who declared the one-day summit open in his capacity as
the chairman of leaders of LCBC member-countries, urged the
international community to support Chad to conclude the transition
from military to democratic government in a peaceful manner within
the set time of 18 months.

He rallied development partners and countries particularly
France, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the
Netherlands, and Russia; the United Nations, the African Union and
the European Union, as well as other friendly and partner nations
to support the transition framework put in place by Chad’s
Transition Military Council led by General Mahamat Idris Deby.

Buhari, while speaking at the in-person meeting attended by the
Presidents of Central African Republic, Niger, Chad, Chairman of
the Presidential Council of Libya and a representative of the
president of Cameroon, said the death of Itno had direct
implications for the continued peace and stability of Chad as a
nation, the Lake Chad region and the wider Sahel Region.

‘‘Our region is faced with difficult, several challenges that
need the support and engagement of all to overcome.

‘‘While transnational crimes and rebellion cutting across our
region continue to evolve in scope, the attendant conflicts also
continue to retain their distinct form of inflicting untold
hardship and difficulty on the lives of our citizens.

‘‘The threats by the Chadian rebel groups, who are clamouring to
overthrow the government, must be viewed with all the seriousness
they deserve because the consequences of a destabilized Chad to the
sub-region cannot be imagined.

‘‘The flow of refugees and displaced persons from the country,
unrestrained flow of arms, drugs and other harmful substances into
Lake Chad and Sahel Regions, which are already challenged by
terrorists seeking to establish parallel systems, would further
compound the security and stability of our areas and neighbouring
countries.

‘‘It is, therefore, our collective duty and in honour of the
memory of the men and women that have died in search of peace in
the region, to rise in unison as leaders of the region to ensure
that peace, stability and security are not disrupted in Chad and in
the entire region.

‘‘These challenges, which are fuelled by an interplay of poverty
and the loss of sustainable means of livelihood due to climate
change, have been further exacerbated by the direct consequence of
complete breakdown of law and order in Libya,” he said.