The Chad Government has announced the immediate closure of its border with Nigeria, citing heightened security concerns following reports of possible U.S. troop movements in parts of West Africa.
Military sources in N’Djamena confirmed on Monday that President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno ordered a complete military lockdown along the Nigerian border after intelligence indicated that armed groups from northern Nigeria were planning to cross into Chad.
According to Zagazola Makama, Chadian forces, including armored vehicles, have been deployed to key routes linking Nigeria, with all military units placed on maximum alert.
President Déby reportedly cautioned that “no armed group or foreign force will be allowed to enter Chadian soil under any disguise.”
The Chad–Nigeria border stretches about 85 km (53 miles), running diagonally from the Niger border in the northwest to the Cameroon tripoint in the southeast.
The border closure comes amid rising regional tension and speculation over alleged U.S. military activities across the Sahel and West Africa.
Security analysts describe Chad’s move as a preventive measure to secure its borders and block potential militant infiltration amid growing instability in the region.
