Tinubu Warns: Lake Chad Region Must Unite or Risk Chaos

By Achimi Muktar

President Bola Tinubu has issued a stark warning to leaders of the Lake Chad Basin, urging them to stand united against terrorism, insurgency, and security threats or risk losing the region to instability. Speaking at the fifth meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri, Borno State, the president called for a multifaceted approach to tackling insecurity—one that goes beyond military might to address the root causes of the crisis.

“The true enemy remains the non-state actors—those who exploit weak borders, poor governance, and fragile economies to challenge our claim to civilization,” Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared. “However, the worst threat we may face is not the insurgents or terrorists at odds with our humanity. It is the absence of cooperation, sincerity, and fidelity to our shared pact as brothers’ keepers.”

For over 15 years, the Lake Chad Basin—spanning Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon—has been plagued by insurgency, cross-border conflicts, and environmental degradation. The situation has been further compounded by extreme poverty, joblessness, and climate change, all of which provide a fertile ground for extremist recruitment.

With the Lake Chad shrinking by 90% in just six years, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), livelihoods have collapsed, and food insecurity has skyrocketed.

“It is a tragic irony that Africa, a continent with the youngest population in the world, sees its youth become cannon fodder for destructive ideologies and the drivers of conflict,” Tinubu lamented. “We must transform this demographic dividend into a force for good.”

While acknowledging the importance of joint military efforts in repelling insurgents, Tinubu stressed that economic development, poverty alleviation, and cross-border cooperation were equally crucial in winning the war against insecurity.

“Hard power may secure borders, but it is soft power—through diplomacy, culture, and shared values—that builds bridges and binds us together,” he said.

The president emphasized the need for leaders to uphold the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and align their policies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure long-term stability.

The forum, hosted by the Yobe State government, brought together governors, international organizations, and key stakeholders to discuss solutions.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State highlighted the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, calling the forum a rallying point for political and economic integration.

“The Lake Chad region has seen positive changes, with displaced people returning home and hope being restored,” said Cynthia Rowe, Development Director at the British High Commission in Nigeria.

Despite this progress, challenges remain. Climate change, resource scarcity, and growing extremism threaten the fragile recovery.

Tinubu also cautioned against allowing global political tensions to infiltrate the region, warning against becoming pawns in proxy wars driven by foreign powers.

“The salvation of the Lake Chad region is neither in Europe nor in the Americas. It lies in the hands of all those gathered here today,” he said.

The future of the Lake Chad Basin, he insisted, depends on the ability of its leaders to set aside political differences, commit to long-term solutions, and work together as a united front against insecurity and underdevelopment.