Panic As 1,200 Chadian Troops Are Withdrawn From Nigeria

The Presidency on Sunday asked Nigerians not to panic over the withdrawal of 1,200 Chadian troops from the Lake Chad Basin bordering the country.

It said the withdrawal was in line with the mandate of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), launched on July 1, 2016 and due to end on December 31, 2019.

It said Nigeria will be sending troops to Chad as part of a new concept against the Boko Haram insurgency.

In line with the scope of the MNJTF, the 1,200 troops were recalled on Friday from a part of the Northeast.

Following their withdrawal, many Nigerians in Borno State started fleeing the areas managed by the Chadian troops, which is not vacant.

The operation was estimated to have cost Africa-EU partnership about 50million Euro and the UK about £5 million.

“Nobody should panic, Nigerians need not to worry at all about the Chadian withdrawals.

“They came here as a part of a concept of the ongoing operations. That concept has changed and they are moving out.

“Indications from the Defence Headquarters suggest that soon, Nigeria will be sending troops to that country as part of yet another concept.

“So there is nothing of concern about the way deployments are made by the MNJTF. They know what they are doing. It is in execution of their mandate.

“Nigerians should equally not have any doubts about the ability of our armed forces to hold their own. They are capable and have proven to be so,” President’s spokesman Garba Shehu said yesterday.