The HQ of anti- Boko Haram regional force to cost $30 million

The headquarters of the multinational military force to fight the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram will cost $ 30 million over the next 12 months, said on Wednesday by a regional official, who was requesting for financial assistance.

Long awaited, the multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), whose headquarters is based in the Chadian capital N'Djamena, will host 8,700 military, police and civilians, provided by Nigeria and four neighboring countries, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin and it will be controlled by a high-ranking Nigerian military official.

"The total amount needed to set up and operate the headquarters MNJTF for the next 12 months is approximately $ 30 million (€ 27 million)," said Sanusi Imran Abdullahi, head of the Commission the Lake Chad Basin, an organization made up of Nigeria and its neighbors.

"Troop contributing countries are responsible for the equipment and supplies for their troops," he added.

This statement was said in a meeting as defense ministers and military leaders from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin met Tuesday in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, to work on their plan against Boko Haram.

The new Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will use Thursday to assemble the heads of state of these countries to a summit in Abuja devoted to this issue.

Buhari, a retired general who took office on May 29, has pledged to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed more than 15,000 lives since 2009.

The violence mainly affected the north-eastern Nigeria, but the border areas of Chad, Cameroon and Niger have also been affected.

The anti-Boko Haram regional force was originally to be operational in November 2014.

Since February, facing the expansion of the insurgents, armed Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon forces have already begun an offensive against Boko Haram, which has suffered a series of setbacks.

But the armed group remains a threat: since late May, it has increased its attacks in the northeast of the country killing at least 109 victims.