President Idriss Derby of Chad on Monday said a multinational force consisting of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria currently fighting the Boko Haram sect in the Lake Chad Basin will soon metamorphosise into what he called a Rapid Response Force.
The force, according to him, is being put together by the African Union to fight insurgency on the continent.
Derby disclosed this while speaking with State House correspondents shortly after meeting behind closed-doors with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said, “On the issue of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin, there are four countries, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger that are currently securing the area.
“The four countries have managed to form a multinational mixed force that will metamorphosise to what is probably known as a Rapid Response Force that the African Union is trying to form for Africa.”
Derby also recanted on his earlier claim that he knew the whereabouts of the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.
While calling on Shekau to surrender or face death, Derby had in March told a news conference in N’djamena, that he knew the whereabouts of the sect leader, who, according to him, was sighted in Dikwa, a village in Borno State two days earlier.
When asked about the current whereabouts of the sect leader, the Chadian President denied knowledge of such.
He also added that if he knew, he would not disclose the location to journalists.
”It is regrettable that the two armies, that is the Nigerian army and the Chadian Army are working separately on the field, they are not undertaking joint operation.
“If they were operating joint operation, probably they would have achieved more results.
“I cannot tell you today that I know where Shekau is hiding and even if I knew, I won’t tell you,” he said.
When further asked to explain the relationship between the multinational task force fighting in Lake Chad and the South African mercenaries fighting with them, Derby simply said he had no information concerning mercenaries from South Africa.
On the purpose of his visit to Jonathan, the Chadian President said he was in Nigeria for consultation because the two countries have a lot of similarities in fighting insurgents.
He recalled that while Chad had its own problems in the 70s and 80s, Nigeria assisted the country during those difficult times.
He also said he was in Nigeria to congratulate Jonathan for the statesmanship he displayed during the last elections.
He added, “On the 2015 general elections, I came principally to congratulate Mr. President for the statesmanship he demonstrated during the elections.
“We all know that elections in Africa is always contested but Mr. President demonstrated a lot of statesmanship, that he is a real democrat by conceding and congratulating the President-elect.
“You all know that when Nigeria sneezes, the neighbouring countries catch cold.
“If Mr. President had not taken that laudable initiative, you all know what would have happened now. Nigeria is still living in peace, you all are living in peace and that would not have happened but for that laudable initiative he took.
“So I came to congratulate him for leaving a legacy not only for Nigeria but for Africa as a whole.
“As you all know, we both work together to fight Boko Haram. I thought it was important that before Mr. President leaves office, I will come for us to have overview of what we did together, what we achieved together in the fight against Boko Haram.
“It is true Boko Haram has not been completely eradicated but they have been tremendously weakened. I did not want to wait and come during the inauguration of the new government, I thought I should come to consult with Mr. President, to congratulate him and to have this exchange and have overview of what we have been able to achieve in the fight against Boko Haram.”
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