The Republic of Cameroon which has been rocked already with two dreadful crises (The Cameroon Anglophone Crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon and the Boko Haram insurgencies in the Far North) have lately been baring the consequences of the political instability in their neighboring country Chad.  A video showing mass encroachment of people mostly characterized with women and children from Chad crossing the Logone bridge which separates Cameroon and Chad has surfaced online.

The influx of Chadians into Cameroon might only help in deepening the wounds of the already crisis rocked country as Cameroon is already faced with refugee situation in the country. The Far North is already packed with those from Nigeria, The East with civilians from Central African Republic, and Internally displaced persons from the Far North and the two Anglophone regions. The growing need for food, shelter and other social amenities is on the rise and one may not need to rely on the government officials as they are in rumble, with the overwhelming refugee situation already.

Following deadly clashes between the Chadian military and rebels, many Chadians have remained stranded and hopeless and have seen their neighboring country, Cameroon as a safe haven following the political brunt in their country, which has led to maximum insecurity. This insurgency was aggravated by the demise of the Chadian president Idris Deby Itno who has reportedly died on the battlefield. In a transition towards democracy, Chad’s first democratic election saw the electing of Deby as president in 1996. With the help of France, Chad under Deby’s regime became part of the G5 Sahel joint force to battle Jihadists organizations. Despite the military strength of Idris Deby and his ability to protect his interest and himself over the years, falling prices impaired poverty and raised discontent in the non-coastal country. According to the UN World Food Programme, Chad is one of the poorest nations with two thirds of the country’s 15.8 million people living in abject poverty.

The 2021 election met with violence, a rebel group called the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) launched a series of attacks. However, Idris Deby was still reelected as president of Chad with about 80% in the April 11 pool. In a fresh attack launched by the rebel group over the weekend, the president is believed to have been fighting in the war front therefor he died after sustaining bullet wounds. The military announced. His son Mohamat Idriss Deby Itno has been appointed interim president by the military. This lone act has aggravated the rebels in Chad as they promise to unleash hell on earth.

The civilian population in Chad is therefore left perplexed with the happenings of the country especially as the presidents’ funeral will be heavily guarded with massive influx of presidents from different countries. The rebel group has warned against the coming of other presidents to the country and states that, they do not recognize the Mohamat Idriss Itno as the president in a press release signed by the group’s political coordinator in charge of communication Kingabe Ogouzeimi de Tapol. Uncertainty looms on the Chadian civilian population as the rebels are more confident after the death of the president “Chad is not a monarchy. There can be no dynastic devolution of power in our country” the group says.