Timi Frank condemns killing of opposition leader in Chad

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, strongly condemned the recent cold blooded murder of Chadian opposition politician, Yaya Dillo, by state security forces.

The death of opposition leader Dillo followed a siege on his house and the houses of other top officials of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders in N’Djamena on Wednesday.

Frank who gave the condemnation in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said even though the Chadian government had claimed that Dillo was among several people killed when he allegedly led an attack on the National State Security Agency (ANSE) in the capital, N’Djamena, it has become clear that his death was politically orchestrated by the junta ruling the landlocked country in north-central Africa.

He urged the African Union (AU) and Chad’s neigbour, Nigeria, to intervene to stop further killings by the junta, restore democratic rule and free all political prisoners in the country. 

He said this has become necessary to prevent continuous bloodletting and possible outbreak of insurrection in the country capable of destabilising other countries across its borders with incidence of refugees, attendant chaos and political instability. 

He said it was better for the leaders of AU and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to act now to stabilize the country instead of waiting to close the stable door when the horse has bolted.

He called on the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK) and right thinking leaders of the European Union to prevail on France to cease stoking the fires of internecine wars, political instability and military rule in Chad and other Francophone countries – for their selfish economic gains-  but allow democratic rule to take root and thrive. 

He also enjoined the Chairman of ECOWAS, President Bola Tinubu, to take responsibility by ensuring that the present political turmoil in Chad is resolved ahead of its May 6th Presidential election. 

According to Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, Dillo, 49, was current military President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno’s cousin and a strong contender in the polls.

“If there is outbreak of armed hostilities between opposition and military-led security forces, Nigeria’s northern states would be awash with refugees and an inflow of small and light weapons that may further worsen the security situation in the Lake Chad region,” he said.

He noted that political killings and human rights abuses skyrocketed in Chad after military take over following the death (killing) of the nation’s former President, Idris Deby in 2021 and the installation of his son Mahamat as leader.

He said even though the junta led by Deby’s son, Mahamat, earlier fixed an 18-month transition period to conduct elections, the timeline was unilaterally shifted to three years by the junta during which it has criminally amended the country’s constitution to allow the interim leader and head of the military transition council, President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, to participate.

He accused the head of the junta, Itno, of being directly responsible for mass killings, persecution of opposition figures and the incarceration of key political opponents including his uncle (his father’s younger brother).

He said: “He keeps spreading fear in the country to maintain his hold on power. He has become a dictator and tyrant who loathes any form of opposition. France is aware of his atrocities but keep backing him in exchange for free access to exploit the nation’s mineral resources.”

He equally called on the International Community to prevail on Mahamat to release all political detainees, revert to the old constitution and allow the conduct of a free, fair and credible poll to choose the country’s next President. 

Above all, he called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute Mahamat for crimes against humanity over  the killing of the opposition politician Dillo, and others who have disappeared, died or imprisoned by the military junta.