The Chadian government has sealed its border with Nigeria following intelligence reports of possible militant infiltration from the north.
Military authorities in N’Djamena confirmed on Monday that President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno ordered the immediate deployment of troops to secure the frontier after receiving alerts about armed groups planning to cross into Chad.
Regional security analyst Zagazola Makama said Chadian forces have been stationed at key border points, supported by armoured vehicles and air surveillance units.
“Chadian troops and armoured vehicles have been deployed to critical routes from Nigeria, and all units are now on full alert,” Makama stated.
President Déby warned that no armed faction or foreign force would be allowed to breach Chadian territory.
“No armed group or foreign force will be allowed to enter Chadian soil under any disguise,” he said in a statement.
The move comes amid growing regional tension following reports that the United States may be repositioning some of its troops in parts of West Africa—a development that has unsettled several countries in the region.
Security experts say Chad’s border closure is a preemptive step to contain the spread of instability from the Lake Chad Basin, where militant activity and political upheavals in neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso have raised alarm.
With the border now officially closed, trade and travel between Chad and Nigeria have been suspended until further notice. Travellers and traders have been advised to await additional directives from Chadian authorities.
