President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday, met with his Chadian counterpart, Idriss Deby, in Aso Villa, Abuja.
Deby’s visit happened weeks before Chad’s presidential election on April 11.
Deby, a 68-year-old former army chief who has been in power for 30 years, is seeking to be re-elected in the poll. He has since banned protests by opposition parties who have criticised his re-election.
In a statement on Saturday, the Presidency, however, did not state whether Deby’s visit was connected to his re-election in April.
The Presidency said Buhari and Deby “discussed bilateral issues ranging from security to the recharging of Lake Chad”.
It quoted Buhari as saying, “It is imperative that there be water transfer to the Lake Chad from the Congo Basin, so that the people can resume their normal lives.”
The Presidency added that Buhari said with inter-basin water transfer, farming, fishing, animal husbandry would resume, and curtail irregular migration of youths, who now dare the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, to get into Europe, seeking greener pastures.
“I’ve been engaging with the relevant stakeholders in Africa and beyond, on why we need to recharge Lake Chad. Nigeria will benefit more, but it is also advantageous to everyone,” the Presidency further quoted Buhari as saying.
The Punch
