What started as mere suspicion in Nigeria’s security circles is now being treated with utmost seriousness: Chad may be the major backer and staying power of Boko Haram ─ with eyes on the oil deposits in the Chad Basin, Borno state.
Preliminary surveys have indicated that there is hydrocarbon deposit in an area covering 3,350 square metres in the Chad Basin, with federal government pumping close to N30bn in the last two years into feasibility studies of the oil potential there.
Countries such as Chad, Niger and Sudan with similar structural settings are already exploring or producing oil on their own soil, leading to conclusions that it is a matter of time for Nigeria’s turn.
The lukewarm attitude of Nigeria’s neighbours, particularly Chad and Cameroon, to the Boko Haram threat has long been attributed to regional rivalry rather than economic interest.
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However, circumstances surrounding the phantom ceasefire deal brokered in October by Idriss Déby, the president of Chad, have alerted the security agencies to a possible involvement of the west African country in the insurgency.
“Chad might be eyeing control of the Chad Basin in Borno state, which is believed to be very rich in hydrocarbon reserves,” a senior military officer told TheCable.
“We now have enough grounds to suspect that the staying power of Boko Haram is Chad. While the terrorists have been striking against Cameroon, they have never carried out any attack in Chad. Their arms may be passing through the Chadian territory.”
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Unconfirmed reports have linked the Chadian government to arms supply to Boko Haram as Nigerian authorities try to understand what has kept the insurgents fully armed in the last five years.
Although the militants have looted Nigerian armouries on several occasions, some of the weapons recovered from them have turned out to be different from what they stole.
If indeed Chad is fuelling the insurgency, Boko Haram may gain access to more sophisticated weapons, such as surface-to-air missiles, which are legally sold only to sovereign entities.
The transportation of armoured tanks and other heavy hardware into Nigeria may also be facilitated by Chad, but the insurgents are unlikely to acquire aircraft as no terrorist group has yet used the aerial route in launching attacks.
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Abubakar Shekau, the group’s leader, once claimed to have shot down an aircraft belonging to the Nigerian military, but this was denied by defence headquarters.
Security sources said they have established that Chadian citizens are serving as foot soldiers for Boko Haram, which most recently made its biggest gain on the Nigerian territory since the insurgency began in 2009.
A retired diplomat said if Chadian links are verified, “then we have a potentially dangerous development in our hands. It could be a copycat scenario, considering how Muammar Ghaddafi destabilised West Africa as Libyan leader. Déby was very close to Ghaddafi and he may be copying his style.”
Another senior intelligence officer told TheCable that the federal government is “seriously studying” possible links between Chad and Boko Haram.
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TheCable recently reported that Nigerian government officials are furious about the phantom ceasefire deal which misled the Nigerian military into dropping its guard, a situation that saw the terror group reinforce and take over more Nigerian towns and villages.
Déby, who was involved in putting the deal together claiming he had been contacted by Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram’s leader, has stopped communicating with Nigeria after the failed ceasefire deal.
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On the three occasions that the Nigerian delegation went to N’Djamena, the Chadian capital, he did not attend to them, saying he was ill, a source had told TheCable.
President Goodluck Jonathan had met with Déby in September after being informed that the Chadian leader was in touch the leaders of Boko Haram who had indicated interest in negotiating a dialogue.
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Ali Modu Sheriff, former governor of Borno state whose mother is from Chad, was instrumental to putting the meeting together, but he too has been accused of funding the terror group ─ a claim he has vehemently denied.
Sheriff, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is one of the biggest investors in the Chadian economy and is a close associate of Déby.
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20 comments
Oh, are they just suspecting? When well meaning Nigerians said so, FG preferred to hobnob with a potential enemy, leading to several more deaths. Question is why would Chad now have the audacity to take on Nigeria? Perennial underdogs now sense an opportunity with our lack of coordination. Let it no be that Modu Sheriff would be announced the Chadian overseer of Boko Haramistan before FG knows that his interests are different
If that be the issue, then let that territory be ceded to Chad. After all OBJ did same with Bakassi.
If it is true Amodu Sherrif’s mother is Chadian, and he had been accused severally of being a sponsor of BH,; he was with Deby as guest when GEJ visited Deby to talk of negotiating wt BH; Sherrif ditched APC for PDP to be closer to the seat of power to know every plan of the GEJ administration against BH and possibly advise against using force on the insurgents; Nigeria’s Borno State and the oil in the region would have been mortgaged by that partly Nigerian and partly Chadian, to Deby and he will take off to Chad and becomes its V.P or even president if Chad succeeds in annexing Borno. Wise up GEJ.
Your observations and proposal look authentic because of recent event after brash negotiation….
Many ppl complain on different platform that Idris Debby had been indicted on the activities of BH.Nigerian government went ahead to believe him on ceasefire which made us to loose more territory and soul to BH.I weep for my noble country.
@truth Bitter, Your observations and proposal look authentic because of recent event after brash negotiation….
Good observation dude.This purely commonsense, hope the good for nothing government will wake up.
It is no surprise this is coming to light about Chads involvement. I urge fellow Nigerians to read Dr. Iyorchia Ayu lecture which he delivered at the convocation ceremony of the Micheal Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
This can be found in The Sunday Trust newspaper of November 9, 2014, pages 52 and 53. It is a must read for all Nigerians. I hope our leaders are wish enough to do the needful. God bless Nigeria
this is a serious case of Nigeria’s leader inability to pay attention to things that mattered most and paying to frivolous things. Seriously shaking my head for this country!
@Alomileponbireke. You are damn right to the point. Ever noticed that our president is always at his best when he is attending PDP caucuse meetings and campaigns.
For the purpose of records ihave said this many times in my write up that neighbouring chad cameroun Niger,Sudan harbouring terror and supply insurgence arms ,and some northerners and Arabs are sponsoring B/H Nigeria government and soldiers lack credible inteligence informations in prosecuting military campaign against insurgence because some top nigerian military fighting with double edge sword.Nigerian military finally wake up and identify the main enemy what next.From the begining these small countries envy and jealous of Nigeria despite Nigeria gesture to them .Some northern leaders sideline and support the unrest an effort to derail the Present administration with all the intention and desperate to clinch the presidency in 2015 but Nigerians fully aware their game. The time has come for all Nigerian unity to fight Boko haram and neighbours supply them with arms to kill innocent nigerians.
The Federal Governnent is aware,That is why they being cautious,because a clash with the Chad may be a clash with France.The master mind.
In order words they are staying over there. And that’s where they launch attacks from. And that’s where the Chibok girls are.
I’d wonder why d president chose to settle d chaos in his country at neighbouring chad.the connection bw sheriff and Chadian pres shed be properly looked into.but Nigeria being what it is will still sweep d debris under d carpet
we need a serious govt to act on these intelligence facts.
I think GEJ knows what is actually going on in Chad but he is just pretending
Both the government of Nigeria and the government of Chadians were bird of the same feather, they are all working for the American government believe it or not.
The American govt are the one fuelling the insurgencies for their own benefit. What is the connection of oil and BH if they’re not initiated in the first place. They all know themselves. Stop killing innocent souls through ur creation. May God save us all.
The fact is shown! I am happy that no evil thing done in secrecy will remain so forever. We were all suspecting, but now it has become crystal clear. How I wish the regime could take decisive action?
BH have armored tanks and other sophisticated weapons, not the ones seized from Nigerian forces. If BH is an enemy of Cameroon, but a friend of Chad and Niger, common sense should have made those at the top echelon to know that something is amiss. Further, if Gov. Sheriff who was accused by many could midwife between the government of Nigeria and Chad should have send a signal of syndication.
Besides, if Chadians and Nigeriens when caught among BH foot soldiers shows the countries’ involvement. Mr. President, if you were not suspect the leadership of these countries before, the fact is shown that Pres. Idriss Deby has been a staunch sponsor, even possibly sending some of his army men and weapons for this subtle warfare.
Thank God for the Cameroonian journalist who first twit this news on Thursday last week. I have said before, while Nigeria may not be having open enemies across her borders, they some secret ones who are interested in destabilizing her.
What next? As Obj is no more in power, the president of Chad, Idriss Deby, should be dragged to Au and/or UNSC. However, President GEJ should keep his ambition aside for the time being and take on this international hypocrisy and unfriendly friendship of Pres. Deby of Chad. This is necessary because he is the custodian of the Chibok girls too.
What has made me happy is that God has heard the cry of His people and seen the blood of the innocent souls being spilled. Now the fire of His vengeance is kindled against the evildoers.
Oh my God, let your lifted arm of vengeance not come down until wickedness is extinguished from our lands and frontiers!
Thank God , they have stopped accusing Buhari of BH sponsorship. Sai Buhari!
All this tthings that is happening everywhere is the sign of Endtime, we need to Closer to GOD now as before, the Bible make us to understand that the time will come where nation with fights against nation, brother fight against his brother..So many have been happening everywhere..Now the place of worships, markets, streets and events place are not longer safe, we need to be extremely careful and be prayerful at always..GOD will help us.HNM.