News
Amid Nigeria’s deal, Chad joins B’Faso, Mali, Niger, demands for exit of France
Chad seems to be toeing the path of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the former West African colonies which have already kicked much of France out of their countries, following allegations of decades of exploitation.
Reports say hundreds of citizens, who staged a rally in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital on Friday have signed in to the government’s call last week to scrap military cooperation with the former colonial power, as part of their demands.
The development coming days after Nigeria took a bold step to embrace Paris in a major move aimed at major economic relationship, is seen as quite significant given the strategic location of Chad as one of the country’s neighbours.
The report, say up to 500 people carrying placards that read “bar France” gathered at the N’Djari stadium draped in the country’s colours, complaining that Chad had gained nothing from the six decades of dealing with the former colonial master.
Abdel daim Abdallah Ousmane, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs, was quoted as saying: “After 60 years of cooperation, we don’t need the French military, we have an army, we can defend our country. Our demonstration is peaceful. We are not France’s enemy and France is not an enemy of Chad.”
Given that rallies in the streets of the capital were forbidden, and with the first demonstration of hundreds taking place Thursday in the eastern commercial hub of Abeche, Friday’s demonstration is believed to have the endorsement of the Chadian authorities, now mimicking the template of other French-speaking West African countries.
France’s fall in Chad, where it maintains about 1,000 troops, would signify the end of its last military foothold in the Sahel, which is opening up to the influence of Russia and to some extent China.
An announcement on November 28 to the effect that it is ending the 64-year-old defence pact with Paris mainly dating from independence in 1960, was followed up with a meeting on Thursday of a special committee organised to oversee the “historic mission” of ending the accord.
Chad is insisting on the end to the pact to “marks a firm determination to regain sovereignty in national defence matters,” indicating the determination of the former colonies to end what they see as year’s exploitation of the region.
Tension heightened in 2023 when Niger to finally kicked the former colonial masters out of the country, after months of initial resistance in which France refused to leave, citing its argument that the country’s military leadership lacked the legitimacy to take the decision, because it was not elected.
But it later succumbed, not only by removing its military, but ending the operations of French companies at its major uranium sites or bringing its operations to the barest minimum, after accusing them of paying peanuts for the highly-priced minerals used in power generation.
Mahamat Idriss Deby Chad’s leader is said to be seeking closer ties with Moscow in recent months, only that talks to strengthen economic cooperation have yet to bear concrete results.
Even then, the development could have a serious impact on Nigeria, which is relying on its neighbours, particularly Niger and Chad in the fight against terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, which have been causing a lot of havoc in the North East and other parts of the country.
Already, there are indications that the French neighbours are not keen on helping the country in warding off the insurgents and in some cases could even be enabling them to distabilise the country, due to the frosty relationship that ensued after President Bola Tinubu, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), attempted a military operation to restore democratic government in Niger after Abdourahamane Tchiani, an army General and former Head of the Presidential Guard, led the military coup that ousted then President, Mohamed Bazoum, in 2023.
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
Slavery is a wound on the memory of the Universal Church, Pope Leo XIV, said on Monday, as he issued a fresh apology over the participation of the the Catholic Church in the centuries-long delay in condemning slavery.
The pontiff stressed the position of the church after his predecessors had offered similar apologies, said: “For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Writing in a major text that warned about “new forms of slavery” behind the digital economy, the joined John Paul II, who denounced slave trade in 1992 before issuing a sweeping request for forgiveness for historical injustices in 2000 and Pope Francis who also repeatedly denounced contemporary forms of slavery.
In his own vein, Pope Leo, pointed out that the Church owned slaves until the Middle Ages and it also advised European sovereigns on how to justify the enslavement of “infidels.”
He stressed in “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), a document focused primarily on the rise of artificial intelligence, that it was only in the 19th century that “a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated.”
Hear him: “It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery. This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached.”
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: Makinde, Turaki, lose! *S’Court affirms Wike’s PDP leadership
-
News2 weeks agoTinubu to African leaders: Copy Nigeria, produce your way out of poverty
-
Features4 weeks agoJim Nwobodo: The Sun shines, thrills, at ‘The Vanguard Awards’
-
News6 days agoBREAKING: US-Nigeria troops slaughter 175 ISWAP fighters
-
News2 weeks agoWhy we pegged presidential ticket forms at N60million – NDC
-
Columns3 days agoDear General Gowon: That apology you’re running from is your nemesis
-
News2 weeks agoGowon on civil war: My book is to put records straight, remove falsehood
-
News2 weeks agoBREAKING! Coast brightens for Obi, as NDC zones presidency to South