Tchad: provincial leader held in N’Djamena over defamation charges

Ahmat Bedei Toullomi, the head of the Borkou Provincial Council, was detained in N’Djamena on Thursday late afternoon and transferred to the General Coordination of the Judicial Police, according to security sources.

The arrest took place inside the premises of the La Résidence hotel, just before 5 p.m. It follows a legal complaint filed for defamation and public insults.

Based on records reviewed, the complaint was lodged by Goudje Gueillet Hemchi and Kodou Omari, who accuse Ahmat Bedei Toullomi of spreading damaging claims on social media. They allege he publicly accused them of involvement in cocaine trafficking in Chad.

The complainants strongly deny these allegations, calling them « completely false, baseless, and slanderous », and argue that the accusations have severely damaged their dignity and reputation.

A warrant for Ahmat Bedei Toullomi’s arrest was issued on August 4, 2026, by the prosecutor’s office at the N’Djamena Court of First Instance, requiring his presence to address the allegations made against him.

Prior to his detention, the provincial leader had been summoned multiple times but failed to appear. After more than ten days without compliance, authorities proceeded with his arrest to ensure his attendance for questioning.

Minutes after his detention, a statement was posted at 5:10 p.m. on his Facebook page: « Either the Head of State supports us all, or the traffickers are stronger than the law. I have been abducted. »

At this stage, the arrest remains part of an ongoing legal procedure.