Chadian students in Cameroon pay tribute to Deby, express concern for families back home

Chadians continue to reel in shock following the sudden death of president Idriss Deby. Deby was announced on Tuesday to have died from wounds suffered during a visit to the frontlines of the Chadian armys fight against the Front for Alternation and Concorde in Chad (FACT) rebels.

The Chadian community across the world now share in the grief including students in the northern city of Maroua Cameroon.

For most of them, Idriss Deby is the only leader they have known all their life in Chad

"I was born in his time and I grew up in his time, he made history," Rode Droguet said.

And even if many of them have known no other leader asides Deby, some were full of praise for the late leader.

"I lived through all his achievements, I can say that he was not a bad person. Of course there are good and bad sides," Cetadi Moxia, said.

There are however fears for safety of their families back home and the future of their country in general.

Present in large numbers in the cities of Kousseri, Ngaoundéré, it is in the northern and student city of Maroua that the students' association wanted to pay tribute to him on Friday, the day of his burial in Chad.

"His departure has caused a lot of problems because the country is now going through a bad situation and it really hurts, especially for us who are here. We are really worried about our families." Guelma Dourna said.

The threat from the FACT rebels continues to hang over the Chadian capital city N'Djamena, and tempers continue to flare, particularly with divisions within the army over the appointment of Mahamat Idriss Deby as head of state.