Abuja - Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, said in Abuja Sunday that the country's armed forces are on high alert to forestall a spill-over of the fighting in neighbouring Chad. Chadian rebels moved against the government in Ndjamena, the country's capital, on Saturday and surrounded the presidential villa.
Nigeria's Interior Minister Godwin Abbe said the government was keeping abreast of developments in Ndjamena: "We are watching the situation, especially as we know that our borders are porous and we will have to take care of the humanitarian aspect of this kind of crisis.
"If there is an influx of refugees it would be unnatural for us to turn back those in distress and in need of succour. But we will have to ensure that it will not affect us as a nation," he said.
Chad shares a common border with Adamawa and Borno state in northern Nigeria. Security forces on the Nigerian border have been put on alert as have immigration service personnel, officials said.
