Cameroon, 4 Lake Chad Region Nations meet over Boko Haram

The fourth meeting of military and security chiefs from the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Benin Republic began in Nigeria capital's Abuja with Nigeria's Minister of Defence, Lt Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed urging member nation to forge closer collaboration towards curbing the violence of the Boko Haram insurgents.

It is expected to work out specific agreements to implement the institutionalisation of common military structure including the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) for defeating Boko Haram and other criminal and violent groups within the region.

The two-day meeting is being attended by Ministers of Defence, Chiefs of Defence Staff, Heads of Intelligence and Security agencies of Lake Chad Basin nations (Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon), Benin Republic and representatives of United Nations agencies.

The third meeting of the body took place from July 22 to 23, 2014 in Niamey, Niger.

Stating that the forum is "a step further in the on-going fight against terrorists and criminal elements", Gen Mohammed noted that "terrorists do not recognise or respect international boundaries as such carry out their acts both within and across national boundaries.

Without mincing words, the global security threat is very high, an extension of it felt here in our region by the dastardly act of boko Haram. This has led to instability, underdevelopment and untold hardship to our citizens. In this regard, we condemn the reprehensive and atrocious activities of Boko Haram in our countries.

The meeting is set to review developments arising from the activities of the Boko Haram terror group and work out modalities for implementing the decision of the extraordinary summit of Heads of States and Government of the Commission held 7 October, 2014.

The Commission leaders had adopted a common strategy to combat Boko Haram including deployment of 700 troops by member States and Benin Republic within their national borders by 01 November, operationalization of headquarters of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) by 20 November, operationalization of Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) and establishment of joint simultaneous patrols of a company strength from each member States to the MNJTF to form part of Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to be used to dominate the general area with aggressive mobile patrols.

Part of support from the international strategic partners of the Lake Chad Basin Commission nations including France, United States and United Kingdom is in the area of intelligence through the use of drones.

Gen Mohammed, represented by Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, said it is imperative for the participants, who are "the primary decision makers in the security infrastructure of the various countries represented will afford the opportunity to resolve thorny issues and problems that confront us, streamline our collective responses and agree on far reaching decisions that will give us a focus to our collective efforts.

The meeting points to our common resolve to work together to put an end to a menace that has become a regional and global problem."

He challenged the meeting to forge a closer front in their collective desire to achieve peace and security for their respective countries.