JUST IN: Chad closes border with Nigeria amid fears of terrorist escape, possible U.S. Military strikes in W’Africa
By Maureen Aguta
The Government of Chad has ordered the immediate closure of its border with Nigeria, citing heightened security threats following reports of possible U.S. military operations in West Africa over alleged mass killings and religious violence.
Military sources in N’Djamena, which hosts the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), confirmed that President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno directed a complete military lockdown along the border to forestall infiltration by armed groups fleeing northern Nigeria.
According to the sources, the decision followed intelligence reports indicating that terrorist elements operating in Nigeria’s northern region were planning to cross into Chadian territory to evade possible air or ground strikes.
“The Chadian army has been placed on maximum alert. Troops and armoured vehicles have been deployed across all major border corridors linking Chad and Nigeria,” one senior military officer told reporters under condition of anonymity.
President Déby was quoted as saying that his country would not allow any “armed group or foreign force to enter Chadian soil under any disguise,” underscoring Chad’s resolve to protect its sovereignty amid growing regional instability.
The border shutdown comes amid rising tension across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, as speculation grows about potential U.S. military involvement in response to reports of Christian killings and alleged genocide in parts of the region.
Security analysts say the move reflects Chad’s longstanding concern about porous borders that have in the past allowed cross-border movement of insurgents linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
A senior MNJTF official noted that the closure was primarily preventive, aimed at preserving internal stability as regional uncertainty mounts.
“This is a protective step. The government wants to ensure that no terrorist group or mercenary element takes advantage of the current situation to slip into Chad,” the official said.
Chad has been a key player in regional counterterrorism efforts, often serving as a stabilising force in the Lake Chad Basin where joint military operations have targeted insurgent networks spanning Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad.
While Washington has not confirmed any military plans in the region, diplomatic sources suggest that discussions are ongoing within international security circles about possible interventions against extremist violence in parts of West and Central Africa.
As of press time, movement across the Chad–Nigeria border has been completely suspended, and military patrols have intensified in border communities. Residents on both sides of the frontier have been advised to remain indoors as security forces tighten surveillance operations.