President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed confidence that the
activities of insurgents and other cross-border criminals will soon be
drastically curtailed with the intensification of joint patrols,
military operations and intelligence sharing by Nigeria and neighbouring
countries as agreed at the sub-regional summit of leaders held in
Niamey on October 7. Leaders of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin
Republic attended the meeting.He stated this while welcoming the
Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs of Chad, Niger, Cameroon and
Benin Republic who are in Abuja to work with their Nigerian counterparts
on a legal framework for the cross-border military operations approved
by Jonathan and his counterparts in Niamey.
The president reiterated his belief that such collaboration was
essential for success in the war against terrorism. “I am quite
pleased with the decisions we took in Niamey to enhance and boost joint
actions against Boko Haram and other cross-border criminals because we
have to work together to defeat Boko Haram and other extremist groups in
our sub-region.
“I believe that if we cooperate more and monitor our borders closely, the movement of criminals and terrorists as well as small arms and ammunition across our shared borders will also be drastically reduced,” he said. He told the ministers that with their collective experience and professionalism, he expected them to come up with an effective action plan for the successful implementation of the decisions reached in Niamey.
The visiting ministers were accompanied to the Presidential Villa by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali and the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh,
Recall that at the Niamey meeting, the leaders announced plans to step up the fight against Boko Haram. A communiqué issued after the meeting said that a command centre for a multinational force headed by a chief of staff will be in place by November 20. The leaders also agreed to finalise the deployment of troops promised by member states to form the multinational force within their national borders by November 1.
The visiting ministers include: Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohammed Bazoun, Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Mr. Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, Chad’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Benaindo Tatola, Chad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muossa Faki Mahamat, Niger’s Minister of Defence, Mr. K. Mahamadou, Benin’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Robert Yarou, Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Nassirou Bako Arifari and Cameroon’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Edgar Alain Debe Ngo’o.
“I believe that if we cooperate more and monitor our borders closely, the movement of criminals and terrorists as well as small arms and ammunition across our shared borders will also be drastically reduced,” he said. He told the ministers that with their collective experience and professionalism, he expected them to come up with an effective action plan for the successful implementation of the decisions reached in Niamey.
The visiting ministers were accompanied to the Presidential Villa by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali and the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh,
Recall that at the Niamey meeting, the leaders announced plans to step up the fight against Boko Haram. A communiqué issued after the meeting said that a command centre for a multinational force headed by a chief of staff will be in place by November 20. The leaders also agreed to finalise the deployment of troops promised by member states to form the multinational force within their national borders by November 1.
The visiting ministers include: Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohammed Bazoun, Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Mr. Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, Chad’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Benaindo Tatola, Chad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muossa Faki Mahamat, Niger’s Minister of Defence, Mr. K. Mahamadou, Benin’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Robert Yarou, Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Nassirou Bako Arifari and Cameroon’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Edgar Alain Debe Ngo’o.
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Jonathan tasks Defence, Foreign Ministers of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Benin on Boko Haram’s defeat |
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