Nigeria will always be there for the neighbouring Republic of Chad, as “we are not only neighbours but brothers”, President Muhammadu Buhari declared on Tuesday.
The President spoke at the State House, Abuja while receiving a Special Envoy from President Idris Deby Itno of Chad.
Buhari said Nigeria was grateful to Chad for the diverse kinds of support given towards combating the Boko Haram insurgency, and assured the envoy that Nigeria would always back up Chad in its local and international aspirations.
Buhari noted that “we are aware of the problem Chad has with Libya, which supports some Chadian rebels, trying to destabilize the country.
“The instability in Libya after 42 years of Muammar Gaddafi affects all of us in the Sahel region. From Mauritania to Central Africa Republic, Gaddafi recruited gunmen, who learnt to do nothing else than to kill.
“When the former Libyan Leader was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms, and are wreaking havoc all over the place now,” Buhari said.
The Special Envoy, Mr Amine Abba-Sidick, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad, conveyed a message from his President, whom he said sent fraternal greetings to President Buhari and Nigerians in general.
