Garba Shehu: No need for panic over withdrawal of Chadian troops

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, has asked Nigerians not to panic over the withdrawal of Chadian troops from the Lake Chad region. 

About 1200 Chadian troops deployed in the Lake Chad area in the north-east to combat the Boko Haram insurgency alongside Nigerian troops withdrew from the area on Friday.

“It’s our troops who went to aid Nigerian soldiers months ago returning home. They have finished their mission,” Azem Bermandoa, a Chadian military spokesman, was quoted to have said.

“None of our soldiers remains in Nigeria. Those who have come back will return to their sector at Lake Chad.”

Speaking on Sunday, Shehu asked Nigerians not to panic over the withdrawal of the Chadian troops from the area.

According to TheNation, the presidential spokesman said the troops came to Nigeria “as part of a concept of the ongoing operations” against insurgency, and that their withdrawal was as a result of a change in the concept and in line with the mandate of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

He asked Nigerians to have faith in the ability of the Nigerian military because they are capable of securing the nation.

“Nobody should panic, Nigerians need not to worry at all about the Chadian withdrawals,” he said.

“They came here as a part of a concept of the ongoing operations. That concept has changed and they are moving out.

“Indications from the defence headquarters suggest that soon, Nigeria will be sending troops to that country as part of yet another concept.

“So there is nothing of concern about the way deployments are made by the MNJTF. They know what they are doing. It is in the execution of their mandate.

“Nigerians should equally not have any doubts about the ability of our armed forces to hold their own. They are capable and have proven to be so.”

The MNJTF is a multinational formation, comprising troops from Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria and Benin.