The death of Chadian President, Idris Deby, last week as a result of wounds sustained in a deadly encounter with rebels in the Northern part of that country left a heavy grief and sadness in not only citizens but Africans and the world in general. The rebels have been terrorising the people for some time.
In statement, the spokesperson of the Army, General Azem Bermandoa, narrated how the president breathed his last defending his nation. In the 30 years he spent in power, Deby had pledged his commitment in war against insurgency ravaging countries like Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon that are all located around the Lake Chad Basin. A year ago, Deby led an operation named “Wrath of Bomo” against Boko Haram terrorists in the deadly Sambisa Forest. The attack was a revenge on a recent one the rebels undertook that killed 90 soldiers.
Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon have been facing rising cases of insurgency and rebel attacks, But the commitment of the late Chadian President Idris Deby was a remarkable and commendable one taking into consideration that he was the only leader one among them who led his country’s army to fight the terrorists.
Boko Haram terrorists recently launched an attack on Damasak, Borno state, Nigeria killing eight people and forced many people to seek refuge in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The atrocities of Boko Haram, ISWAP alongside others in Nigeria have led to the loss of 30,000 lives and about 2 million people have left their homes seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.
Both President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and Bazum Muhammad of Niger Republic have acknowledged the tremendous commitment of the deceased in addressing the issue of insurgency ravaging the Sahel region. But commendation alone is not enough. They should try and emulate the steps of the deceased in giving their full support and leading the way as he did to ensure peace and stability in the region that is fast becoming a shadow of itself. Hajara Abdullahi, Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano