Insecurity in West Africa caused by Gaddafi’s mercenaries – Buhari

By BOLAJI OGUNDELE, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has attributed the widespread instability across most part of West Africa to the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi era in Libya.

According to him, the former Libyan strongman recruited and trained killers, whose only talent was killing and destruction, adding that Gaddafi’s fall led to their dispersal across the Sahel region, causing insecurity and chaos wherever they found themselves.

The President spoke on Tuesday at the State House while receiving a Chadian Special Envoy sent by President Idris Deby Itno of Chad.

President Buhari, however, pledged Nigeria’s solidarity and continuous support for the Republic of Chad, noting that Nigeria is not just a neighbour to the country, but also a brother country.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari noted that Nigeria appreciates the support she was getting in tackling insecurity from the neighbouring country.

“We are aware of the problem Chad has with Libya, which supports some Chadian rebels, trying to destabilize the country. The instability in Libya after 42 years of Muammar Gaddafi affects all of us in the Sahel region.

“From Mauritania to the Central Africa Republic, Gaddafi recruited gunmen, who learnt to do nothing else than to kill. When the former Libyan leader was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms, and are wreaking havoc all over the place now,” President Buhari said.

Stressing that Nigeria was grateful to Chad for the diverse kinds of support given to combat the Boko Haram insurgency, the President assured that Nigeria world always backs up Chad in its local and international aspirations.

The Special Envoy, Mr. Amine Abba-Sidick, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad, conveyed a message from his President, whom he said sent fraternal greetings to President Buhari and Nigerians in general. (The Nation)