B'Haram: Chadian President makes U-Turn…I don't know where Shekau is

The Chadian President, Idris Deby has denies knowledge of where terrorist sect leader, Abubakar Shekau is, thereby ontradicting his statement at a press conference in N'djamena last March, where he said that he knew the whereabouts of the sect leader, disclosing that he was sighted in Dikwa, a village in Borno State two days earlier.

Deby, who was in the Presidential Villa to visit President Goodluck Jonathan, commended the president‎ for the statesmanship he demonstrated by conceding defeat and calling President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to congratulate him, adding that  Nigeria and the sub-region were today enjoying peace because of that singular act.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after having a one-on-one with President Jonathan, Deby also regretted that both the Nigerian and the Chadian armies were working separately in the field, rather than undertaking joint operations, noting that if they were conducting joint operations probably they could have achieved more results.

'It's regrettable that the two armies, that is the Nigerian Army and the Chadian Army are working separately in the field; they are not undertaking joint operations. If they were operating jointly 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.

'Chad has had its own problems in the 70s and 80s and Nigeria assisted Chad during those difficult times. 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 are 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,' Deby said.

The Chadian President, speaking on the fight against Boko Haram said: 'As you all know, we both worked together to fight Boko Haram.

'I thought it was important that before Mr. President leaves office I will come for us to have an overview of what we did together, what we achieved together in the fight against Boko Haram.

'It is true that  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.

‎'Still 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 metamorphose to what is probably now known as a Rapid Response Force that the African Union is trying to form for Africa.'

Asked the relationship between the multinational task force fighting in Lake Chad Basin and the South African mercenaries fighting with them, President Deby said: '‎I have no information concerning mercenaries from South Africa.'