President Buhari receives Gen. Deby of Chad in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja received the Interim President of Chad’s Transitional Military Council, General Mahamat Idriss Deby.

The President later held a close-door meeting with Gen. Deby who was in Nigeria for a one-day official visit.

Although the mandate of the meeting was not clear as at press time, it is a strongly held view that the Chadian interim leader came to Nigeria to further strengthen the existing ties between both countries as well as discuss issues of mutual concern such as the security threat the Boko Haram menace poses to both countries.

It is also suspected that the visit is a confidence-boosting mission by the young Deby to win some support and legitimacy for his interim military rule which has come under intense criticism by Chadians who described it as a coup against a democracy.

Nigeria shares a common border running into 85 kilometres with Chad and the two nations have had a cordial relation especially under the watch of the late President Idris Deby, who was a personal friend to President Muhammadu Buhari.

RovingNaija recalls that Idriss Deby Itno, a Field General and father to Gen. Deby, was killed on April 19 this year after clashes with rebels in his country.

The Transitional Military Council led by Gen. Deby is expected to hand over the reins of power to a civilian administration after 18 months but it remains to be seen if this is not a tall order judging from outcomes of past military interventions in politics on the African continent.