Boko Haram: Nigerians in Diaspora caution against non-diplomatic regional alliance with Chad

A group, the Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe (ANPE), has warned against any meditated non-diplomatic regional alliance with the Republic of Chad, capable of thwarting progress in the fight against terrorism.

The group gave this warning on Tuesday at the end of its plenary after critically examining the country’s efforts in the war against terrorism and insurgency.

In a communique signed by its president, Dr. Agwu Onyeke and representatives drawn from 13 other countries, the Nigerian professionals expressed concern over an alleged pact with Chadian soldiers entered into by Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State.

This was just as ANPE warned that states and governors in Nigeria should desist from entering alliances that were capable of jeopardizing the ongoing war by the Federal government of Nigeria, saying that such engagement was prone to creating conflicting loyalties on the part of the countries that were being courted by these governors.

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“States and governors in Nigeria should desist from entering alliances that are capable of jeopardizing the ongoing war by the Federal government of Nigeria.

“Such engagement is prone to creating conflicting loyalties in the part of the countries that are being courted by these governors.

“Nigerians, Nigeria and international partners should strongly condemn in its totality the attempts by the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum to recruit Chadian Forces to fight on Nigerian soil,” the group said.

The Nigerian professionals, while calling for an investigation into the matter, urged the Federal Government to engage the country’s neighbours on fresh terms in prosecuting the war against Boko Haram

The group said pending the time those neighbouring countries can show that they had stopped sabotaging the nation’s interests, “the support that Nigeria extends to this nation should be suspended.”

This they said should include cessation of interaction with those they termed “rogue politicians from Nigeria.”

“The Federal Government of Nigeria should build international support to evolve a framework that will designate any country operating against its interest in the Lake Chad Basin as a terrorist nation that should be sanctioned.

“Countries that provide arms to terrorists as part of their own geostrategic interest should be prevailed upon to be considerate of Nigeria’s long term stability,” ANPE demanded.

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The group, while appreciating the enormous sacrifices being made by the Nigerian government in the war against insurgency, promising to continue to support every effort towards ensuring that Nigeria won the war and the civilian population was protected from threats to humanity, declared that time was running out for the country to take firm actions against the terrorists and nations that support them to thrive.

“Time is running out for Nigeria to take firm actions against the terrorists and nations that support them to thrive. Such actions should be taken with a focus on the well-being of Nigerians that must be prioritized over supranational treaties.