Thread by @DefenseNigeria

HISTORY that deserves to be Remembered.

The Lagos Agreement of August 1979. An accord demanding the withdrawal of French troops in Chad, be replaced by a multinational African peacekeeping force. This accord was dead on arrival.

The Golden Age of Nigerian diplomacy. Chad was of primodial importance in Nigeria's foreign policy consideration all through the 70s and 80s. Nigeria considered the worsening civil war in Chad may sooner or later affect Nigeria's political and security interest.

Nigeria was put in a position where she had to monitor and react to day situation of the Chadian crises. The Nigerian government did not favour the presence of foreign troops on African soil in general and around Nigeria in particular, as a way of ending all forms of colonialism

Nigeria realized that continuous French military presence in Chad will enable France to directly contain Nigeria's eventual hostility towards the francophone bloc.

To this end Paris sought peaceful coexistence with Libya in northern Chad. Nigeria in contrast sought the complete territorial integrity of Chad. Soon Nigeria was accused of being used as a recruitment centre

for anti-Hissen Habre elements. As relations soured, the Nigerian government expressed its determination that it will take all necessary steps to ensure that both Nigerian air and land spaces are not violated by any of the parties involved in the Chadian conflict.

Years later the Libyans switched sides as suspicion of French motive in northern Chad grew. Leading to rapprochement between Nigeria and Libya. This combined with strong Libyan and Nigerian pressure, led to another demand of a complete withdrawal of French forces in Chad,

with Nigeria holding several peace conferences in 1987. On the other hand nearly all Chadian factions privately told their French interlocutors that they wanted French forces to remain in the country. French policymakers debated whether or not to order a complete withdrawal.

An opportunity to hit back at Nigeria presented itself when the NAF requested aerial refuelling probes and precision guided munitions for the 18 Sepecat Jaguars fighter jets it recently aquired.

The Sepecat Jaguar is an attack jet designed and developed jointly by Dassault of France and the UK based British Aircraft Corporation (Now BAE Systems). Paris alleged that Nigeria was seeking aerial refuelling capability and smart bombs to use on its neighbours.

Providing Nigeria with this capability will be aiding and abetting a potential "war hungry criminal". Yes that was the exact term used. BAE rejected the request. Nigeria will have to make do with iron bombs. That was that.