Chad, along with Niger and Cameroon, has played a critical role in aiding the Nigerian army in the latter’s attempts to retake portions of northern Nigeria from the terrorist group.
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The embassy states that no further information about potential threats is available, but that travelers in Nigeria should remain vigilant and expect a heightened military and police presence, with roadblocks, checkpoints, and other security measures to be in place.
Lake Chad countries, backed by Benin, have vowed to defeat Boko Haram using forces from an 8,700-strong regional task force which officially become operational in August.
Gen. Banyaman Cossingar, Chad gendarmerie director general, confirmed the attack, saying Nigeria’s Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is suspected.
Ryan Cummings, chief analyst for Africa at crisis management company red24, said such a strategy would have limited effects.
“Boko Haram… has continued to establish and operate sleeper cells whose mandates are to conduct surveillance and carry out subsequent attacks”, the DSS statement said.
Boko Haram’s 6-year uprising has killed some 20,000 people.
The blasts, on the island of Koulfoua on the Chadian side of the lake, struck a weekly market, the sources said. Dozens of people were killed in multiple bombings in the border town of Baga Sola in October. Last week, Cameroon was reported to have killed 100 Boko Haram fighters and freed 900 hostages. A second female suicide bomber was stopped.
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But as Boko Haram lost territory it stepped up attacks away from its Nigerian strongholds and into remote areas of Chad, as well as neighbouring Niger and Cameroon.
