Stability of Chad in Nigeria’s interest, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says the stability of Chad and all neighbouring countries is in Nigeria’s interest.

The president spoke when he received Brah Dallah, a special envoy from Mahamat Deby, the transitional president of Chad, at the state house, Abuja, on Friday.

Buhari, who spoke on the virtues of good neighbourliness, said exclusion will create more danger for countries and their future generations.

“We are genuinely concerned, and I am sincerely impressed with the leadership of the country in stabilizing the polity,” he said.

“It was the belief in good neighbourliness that made me first visit Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon, and Benin Republic when I came in 2015.

“The more exclusion we create, the more we endanger present and future generations of our countries.”

Buhari said the relationship between Nigeria and Chad transcended that of neighbours, adding that the late President Idriss Deby “kept me constantly briefed on developments in the country”.

The president said he would “keep an ear to the ground, monitor developments closely,” as Chadians hold their national dialogue.

He also offered Nigeria’s support to the country.

Chad is scheduled to hold a sovereign national dialogue on August 20.

In his remarks, Dallah, who is also the country’s minister of public works, extolled the relationship between Nigeria and Chad.

He said the outcome of the national dialogue “would be respected, and not tampered with”, adding that recommendations would be “scrupulously implemented”.

He said over 99 percent of Chadians are interested in, and taking part in the national dialogue, including main rebel groups.

“We need the support of Nigeria during and after the event,” he added.