Members of the deadly Boko Haram are facing a tougher challenges from five neighbouring African countries, operating under the canopy of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) who have resolved today, to intensify more measures towards wiping them off the map, even as they approved the funding of the sum of$30 Million for the installation and equipping of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Headquarters.
At a one-day extraordinary Summit held today at the Presidential Conference Lodge of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Benin also approved the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Strategic and Operational and related documents of the MNJTF for the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.
Those who attended the crucial meeting, which was hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigerian and chaired by President of Niger Republic, Issoufou Mahamadou who is the current Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of LCBC member countries, were President of the Republic, Head of State of Chad, Idriss Deby itno, President of the Republic, Head of State of Cameroon, Paul Biya (represented by that country’s Defence Minister, Mr. Mebe Ngo’o Edgard Alain) and President of the Republic, Head of State of Benin, Dr. Yayi Boni.
In the final communique issued after a day-long Summit, the Heads of Government also approved the immediate deployment of the MNJTF Head Quarter at N’Djamena (Chad) by implementing its human, logistic and financial requirements.
They equally approved the deployment of the national contingents to the MNJTF under the operational command of the MNJTF Commander assisted by his Joint Headquarters by 30th July 2015.
Part of the communique goes thus: Deliberations focused on ‘The Security Situation in the Lake Chad Basin, the Immediate Operationalization of the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Adoption of Emergency Development Plan’ were preceded by a preparatory meeting of the Ministers of Defence, the Chiefs of Defence Staff and Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of the LCBC member States and Benin.
In the course of their deliberation, the Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin Republic acknowledged with satisfaction the success recorded on military operations jointly conducted in the field by the coalition of the troops from Cameroun, Niger, Nigeria and Chad which have significantly broken down military capability of Boko Haram terrorist group. However, they agreed on the need to keep on this drive marked by solidarity in action by taking decisive measures in order to totally curb Boko Haram insurgency.
The Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin further agreed on the need to support military operations with an emergency development plan in favour of vulnerable populations in the region in order to fight against the root causes of insecurity relating to poverty.
At the end of their deliberations, the Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin Republic took the following decisions:
Approved the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Strategic and Operational and related documents of the MNJTF for the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.
Approved the immediate deployment of the MNJTF HQ at N’Djamena (Chad) by implementing its human, logistic and financial requirements;
Approved the deployment of the national contingents to the MNJTF under the operational command of the MNJTF Commander assisted by his Joint Headquarters by 30th July 2015.
Approved the funding of the sum of Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000.000) USD for the installation and equipping of the MNJTF HQ.
Approved the establishment of the Executive Secretariat as the Headquarters of the Mission and the Executive Secretary of LCBC being the Head of Mission.
Approved the nomination of the 3 key post of responsibility of the MNJTF HQs as follows:
i.Force Commander: Nigeria (Until the end of the mission)
ii.Deputy Force Commander: Cameroun (Rotational every 12 Months)
iii. Chief of Staff: Tchad (Rotational every 12 months)
g). Requests the African Union’s support to the MNJTF in its operations, logistics and general mission support; by mobilizing financial support.
h. Resolved to seek the support of strategic partners, notably European Union, France, United Kingdom and United States of America in favour of the MNJTF.
i).Requests the President of the UN Security Council to make a declarative statement in support of MNJTF Operations against the Boko Haram terrorist group.
j) Adopted the Emergency Plan for Development in the Lake Chad Basin.
At the end of their deliberations which were conducted amid a warm and brotherly atmosphere, the Heads of State and Government of LCBC and Benin Republic conveyed to their Brother, H.E.M. ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU, President of the Republic of Niger and Current Chairman of the LCBC Summit, heartfelt gratitude for calling this important Summit; they also conveyed to H.E.MUHAMMADU BUHARI GCFR profound appreciation for hosting the Summit and requested him to transmit to the Government and good people of Nigeria, their deep gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to them and their delegations. [myad]
