Tension At Border As Chad Arrests Nigerian Refugees Over Boko Haram Allegations

Some deportees told journalists that about 600 Nigerians were rounded up in coordinated operations last week and expelled to neighbouring Cameroon.

The development comes amid renewed warnings by security analysts over a resurgence of jihadist attacks in Nigeria’s North-East, nearly two decades after the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.

One deportee, Kyari Musa, who had been living in N’Djamena, alleged that security operatives raided his residence without warning and accused Nigerian refugees of links to Boko Haram. He claimed officials took their biometric data and warned those deported against returning.

Another Nigerian, Ari Modu, who said he narrowly escaped deportation after being bailed out, alleged the arrests happened in phases, with hundreds picked up over several days.

According to both men, those detained were transported and abandoned in Kousseri, a border town in Cameroon opposite N’Djamena, with some later moved onward to Gamboru in Nigeria by Chadian customs officials.

Chadian authorities confirmed deportations took place but rejected suggestions the operation specifically targeted Nigerians.

Paul Manga, Deputy Director General of Chad’s National Police, described the action as a routine immigration enforcement exercise involving people found to be in the country irregularly, regardless of nationality. He denied it was a witch-hunt.

Nigeria has battled insurgency for years, with militant violence spilling into neighbouring countries including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, displacing millions and pushing many Nigerians to seek refuge across borders.

However, the presence of displaced populations has continued to test regional security systems, as host nations remain concerned about possible insurgent infiltration.

While Nigeria has facilitated the return of some citizens from neighbouring countries in recent years, many returnees often face difficult conditions, including insecurity, unemployment and economic hardship upon arrival.