Idriss Déby, Chadian president, has directed his soldiers not to allow their Nigerian counterparts free captured Boko Haram insurgents.
Chadian troops had, a week ago, launched an offensive against the insurgents in the Goje-Chadian area of Sambisa forest, a stronghold of Boko Haram.
Scores of the insurgents were killed and the Chadian soldiers took over their arms’ store in the area.
In a viral video, Déby is seen telling the troops that if freed, the insurgents would come to Chad to hurt them.
“This place will be our zone until Nigeria sends its soldiers. Stay with them for about a month. Do not let them free captured weapons or any Boko Haram terrorists, they will return to Chad and this will just hurt us,” he said.
“So let them just understand. We are not leaving the situation like this. In the next few days, I will speak with the President of Niger. You guys destroyed at least 90 percent of Boko Haram. That I confirm and can tell the world that 90 percent of Boko Haram is destroyed.
“The 10 percent that are left are running everywhere. Some have drowned and some ran to Niger, some to Nigeria but they will never come to Chad again. Chad is no place for Boko Haram.”
In March 2015, Déby said Nigeria was absent from the war against Boko Haram.
In 2016, the Nigerian army had launched Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of all ex-Boko Haram members, an idea some soldiers kicked against.