SUMMARY
The dispute between Chad and Nigeria concerned the border through Lake Chad where a number of new islands emerged as the water level receded. Both countries claimed sovereignty over the area which hadn't been demarcated. Ever since the 1970s, there had been occasional border incidents but the crisis escalated in 1983 as the countries clashed leading to at least 84 battle-related deaths. The conflict was resolved by a peace agreement. Infrequent clashes have continued in the border area.
IN DEPTH
Border conflict between Chad and Nigeria
The relationship between the neighbours Chad and Nigeria has been generally good. The countries share an eighty-five-kilometer border through Lake Chad, of which both countries had accepted the colonial boundaries. Due to drought the water level of Lake Chad dropped drastically in the 1970s, and new undemarcated territories appeared. Fishermen kept following the receding waters as the lake shrunk to about one-tenth of its original size. The incompatibility between Nigeria and Chad concerned a number of new islands that emerged in Lake Chad as the water level receded. Mainly the islands of Kinsara, Hadide, Chongole, Chkwuaje, Tetewa, Koloram and Bumaram.
On 18 April 1983, 24 Nigerian soldiers were sent to Kinsara Islands to protect Nigerian fishermen. Chad considered this a violation of their borders and attacked the Nigerian soldiers the same day. Serious clashes in the week that followed resulted in 75 Chadian soldiers and 9 Nigerian soldiers death.
Talks between Chad and Nigeria were held on 5-7 May 1983 in Lagos ending with an agreement. The countries agreed to withdraw all soldiers, reopen the border and revive the joint border patrol. The Lake Chad Basin Commission would study the border question and a Chadian consulate would be opened in the Nigerian town Maiduguri.
New shelling in the beginning of June heightened the tension between the two neighbors. Nigeria accused Chad of launching a major offensive with the help of French mercenaries; Chad charged Nigeria of bombing Chadian lakeside villages killing hundreds of civilians.
Negotiations resumed on 2 July 1983, an agreement comprising the same provisions as the May agreement was signed on 11 July formally ending the border dispute between the two countries.
