Chad has reportedly closed its border with Nigeria amid tension over possible U.S. military action.
President Déby ordered troops to secure border routes following intelligence on terrorist movements.
The government of Chad has reportedly sealed its border with Nigeria amid growing tension over reports of a possible military action by the United States following claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had, on October 31, announced that the U.S. was reviewing the situation in Nigeria, saying there were credible reports of widespread attacks on Christian communities. He subsequently redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a move that has stirred diplomatic and regional unease.
Security and counterinsurgency expert Zagazola Makama revealed in a post on X that Chad’s government responded by closing all border routes with Nigeria. According to him, military sources in N’Djamena confirmed that President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno ordered a full military lockdown along the border after intelligence reports indicated that terrorist elements from northern Nigeria might attempt to cross into Chadian territory.
Sources said the Chadian army has been placed on high alert, with troops and armored vehicles stationed at major border corridors linking the two nations. The president reportedly warned that “no armed group or foreign force will be allowed to enter Chadian soil under any disguise.”
The decision, according to regional observers, is a preventive step to maintain national security and shield Chad from possible infiltration or fallout from the growing tension between Nigeria and the United States.
Analysts believe the closure also reflects N’Djamena’s concerns about the potential spillover of armed groups and the uncertainty surrounding America’s possible military presence in parts of West Africa.
Authorities in both countries have yet to issue official statements regarding the development, but security patrols along the border have reportedly intensified to ensure strict enforcement of the closure and prevent any form of incursion.
