President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday hosted Mahamat Idriss Déby at the State House in Abuja, with regional security dominating discussions between both leaders.
Gatekeepers News reports that Deby’s visit, which was at Tinubu’s invitation, marks his first official trip to Nigeria since the Nigerian president attended his inauguration in N’Djamena in May 2024.
Speaking after the meeting, Tinubu said both countries deliberated on security challenges affecting the region, particularly the Lake Chad Basin, which has been plagued by insurgency for over a decade.
He noted that Nigeria and Chad, as members of the multinational joint task force, are committed to strengthening collaboration to eliminate terrorism while preserving the sovereignty of both nations.
The Nigerian delegation at the meeting included key security officials such as Christopher Musa, minister of defence; Olufemi Oluyede, chief of defence staff; and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, minister of state for foreign affairs.
Sources also indicated that the talks focused on deepening security cooperation and counter-terrorism efforts in the Lake Chad region, where armed groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to operate across borders.
Tinubu emphasised that achieving peace and stability in the region would boost economic development, trade, and free movement among citizens of both countries.
The meeting comes amid shifting security dynamics in the Sahel and renewed efforts by regional leaders to strengthen joint responses to terrorism and cross-border threats.
