•Diplomatically it’s wrong to invade a sovereign state – Bwala
By Yahaya Umar, Abuja
Republic of Chad has closed its border with Nigeria following U.S. threat of a military invasion after the Trump administration redesignate Nigeria “Country of Particular Concern, CPC.
In this vein, security analyst Zagazola Makama, said Chadian troops and armoured vehicles have been deployed to key routes linking Nigeria and that country.
All military units are now on full alert, Makama noted.
Besides, media reports quoted military sources in N’Djamena as saying that President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno ordered a military lockdown along the Nigerian border after receiving intelligence that terrorists from northern Nigeria were planning to enter Chad.
Déby Itno, warned that no armed group or foreign force would be allowed to enter Chad “under any disguise”.
It would be recalled that the border closure comes amid rising regional tension and reports of possible American military activity in the Sahel and other parts of West Africa.
Experts say the move is a precaution meant to protect Chad’s borders and prevent militants from taking advantage of the current instability in the region.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump maintains his stand on a possible military invasion in Nigeria to protect Christians
The 2Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, has said it would be diplomatically unacceptable for the United States to undertake any military operation in Nigeria without the explicit consent of the Federal Government.
Bwala,who made this known in an interview with the BBC World Service yesterday said that Nigeria remains a sovereign nation and that any form of foreign intervention in its internal security issues must be collaborative and respectful of its territorial integrity.
The tension came after US President Donald Trump named Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over the alleged acts of genocide against Christians.
Trump warned that Nigeria could lose U.S. aid if it fails to tackle insecurity.
He also threatened to deploy America’s “Department of War” against terrorist groups he claimed were targeting Christians in Nigeria.
He also commended Trump for authorising arms sales to Nigeria during his first term.
“We are grateful to President Donald Trump because during his first term, he approved arms sales that strengthened Nigeria’s fight against insurgency.
“In his second term, he has again shown interest in supporting the fight against Boko Haram, which we welcome—but such efforts must rely on credible intelligence, not isolated reports or social media narratives”, Bwala said.
He went on to say that “If it’s a joint operation with Nigeria, that’s acceptable. But diplomatically, it is wrong to invade a sovereign nation without collaboration—especially one that remains a strategic partner in the fight against insecurity.
“Unilateral intervention only happens when there is evidence that a government is complicit in a crisis. That is certainly not the case in Nigeria”, he said.
