Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Gunmen attempted to storm the presidential complex in Chad’s capital N’Djamena on Wednesday, triggering a battle that left 18 attackers and one security personnel member dead, according to the government.
Truth Live News gathered that gunfire were heard near the site and saw tanks on the streets as security sources confirmed the armed men’s attempt to overrun the complex.
Government spokesman and Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah reported, “There were 18 dead and six injured among the attackers, and we suffered one death and three injured, one of them seriously.” Hours later, Koulamallah, in a Facebook video flanked by soldiers, declared, “The situation is completely under control… the destabilisation attempt was put down.”
While a security source initially suggested the attackers were Boko Haram members, Koulamallah dismissed the idea, describing them as drunken criminals rather than terrorists. He added that the attackers were “completely drugged” and overpowered after assaulting four guards and breaching the complex.
Chad, governed under military rule, frequently faces attacks from Boko Haram, particularly in its western Lake Chad region bordering Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon.
The attempted assault in Chad underscores a broader trend of instability in Africa, where the last five years have seen an alarming rise in coups and attempted military takeovers.
– Sudan (2021 and 2023): Sudan experienced a military coup in 2021 that ousted its transitional government, followed by ongoing conflict in 2023.
– Mali (2020 and 2021): Mali endured two coups within nine months, with the military consolidating power in August 2020 and again in May 2021.
– Burkina Faso (2022): Burkina Faso witnessed two military coups in 2022, reflecting growing instability.
– Guinea (2021): A coup in September 2021 ousted President Alpha Condé.
– Niger (2023): A July 2023 coup toppled President Mohamed Bazoum, marking a significant geopolitical shift in the Sahel.
– Gabon (2023): The military seized power in Gabon in August 2023, following contested elections.
The region has seen over 15 attempted coups since 2020, with several being successful. These incidents reflect a worrying regression in democratic governance and underscore the ongoing volatility in parts of the continent.
This assault follows Chad’s contested general elections, which opposition groups alleged were fraudulent. President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who assumed power after his father’s death in 2021, has sought to consolidate his rule through political and military reshuffles. On the diplomatic front, Deby is fostering ties with Russia and Hungary while navigating strained relations with France, which is in the process of withdrawing its last Sahelian military bases from Chad.
With Chad ranked near the bottom of the UN Human Development Index, these power struggles reflect deeper socio-economic challenges that could fuel further unrest in the region.