President Deby to Buhari: Extend Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Rail Line to Chad
- Chad wants Nigeria to extend the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern corridor railway line to its domain
- Chadian president Idris Deby made the appeal when he visited Aso Rock on Saturday, March 27
- The Nigerian government had earlier extended a rail line to neighbouring Niger Republic
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President Idris Deby of Chad on Saturday, March 27 appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern corridor railway line to Chad to enhance trade between Nigeria and his country.
Addressing correspondents at the presidential villa, Abuja at end of his one-day visit when he had bilateral talks with Buhari, the Chadian leader said such rail and road transportation link with Nigeria would enable goods to be moved to his landlocked country.
Deby said he discussed a number of important issues with his host including the challenges facing Nigeria and Chad and how to strengthen bilateral relations.
Source: Twitter
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According to him, they discussed the issue of terrorism and the challenges that terrorist groups pose to the two countries as well as the Lake Chad environment.
He said that the issue of transfer of water from the Central African Region Republic was addressed, power interconnectivity between Nigeria and Chad, and the closure of the borders, adding that the discussion clarified the reasoning behind the border closure.
Nigerian Tribune quoted him as saying concerning the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF):
“With the new security apparatus that has been put in place with the new security chiefs and not only in Nigeria, but even on the Multinational Joint Task Force itself, which also has a new leadership, that we’re hopeful now that with new strategies, and new dynamism, that we’ll be able to address definitively the issue of Boko Haram.”
Asked about the strength of Boko Haram, he added:
“Boko Haram is indeed an evil that has hampered the four countries of the Lake Chad Basin, and it has done many harms to our populations. It would be remembered that since 2013/2014, the four countries put together their means to create the Multinational Joint Task Force, this Multinational Joint Task Force has had good results.”
Legit.ng had earlier reported that President Buhari is convening a crucial meeting with his Chadian counterpart at Aso Rock.
Among prominent government officials with President Buhari at the reception of Deby was Geoffrey Onyeama, the minister of foreign affairs.
Recall that Nigerian soldiers of Sector 3 Operation Lafiya Dole unit on Saturday, March 13, neutralised many insurgents of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province origins around the fringes of Lake Chad.
However, about three soldiers and an officer died in the operation while many others incurred various degrees of injuries.
Source: Legit.ng
