President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, November 29, arrived from N’Djamena, Chad, where he reportedly renewed call for quick interventions and measures to curb the menace of Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.
Femi Adesina, the spokesperson of the president, said in a statement in Abuja that Buhari made the appeal at a one-day consultation with heads of state and governments of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adesina said the meeting was called to address the recent upsurge in terrorist activities in the region, and the Nigerian leader rallied his colleagues from Chad, Niger Republic and Republic of Cameroon to a fresh onslaught against insurgents, particularly the Boko Haram group.
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“As you are aware and have witnessed in recent times, there are new developments of security concern in our sub-region.
“The region in the recent past has witnessed increasing attacks, particularly on military formations by elements of the Boko Haram terrorists as well as the renewed kidnapping of people.
“These activities are aimed at weakening our collective resolve to eradicate them from the region. We must not cave in.
“The group’s renewed strategy of increasingly mining the general area as well as its recent deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance activities have proved to be critical factors in the resurgence of attacks in the region,” Adesina said in a statement.
Buhari reportedly noted that the efforts of those who strive to bring peace and stability to the region would never be forgotten.
“We are committed to ensuring that the ideals of restoring peace, stability and viability of the Lake Chad region to its glorious state, for which some of you have paid the ultimate price is attained.
“We must not relent and allow the enemies of the region to succeed in their quest to destabilise the area.
“We must reinvigorate our collective will and commitment towards eradicating terrorism from our region. We must remain focused and true to ensuring sustainable development.
“To this end, I have requested that bilateral and multilateral platforms of engagements by member countries affected by the conflict be revamped to ensure collective actions towards stamping out the remnants of the terrorists from the region.
“There is no gainsaying that also fueling the crisis are the twin menaces of poverty and the continued shrinkage of the Lake Chad, which have rendered the people of the region vulnerable to terrorist activities.
“Attention is drawn to the Lake and its resources, which have always been the source of livelihood for the millions of people that live within and around the basin,” he quoted Buhari as saying.
The report said Buhari urged the leaders in attendance to make concerted efforts to ensure the actualisation of efforts to recharge the lake through inter-basin water transfer from the Congo Basin.
Buhari reportedly assured of his commitment to providing the required leadership and direction for the actualisation of peace and security in the area.
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The Nigerian president reiterated an earlier promise he had made to troops fighting terrorism, saying: “We are committed to ensuring you have the requisite and enabling equipment to optimally function. Your welfare is and would continue to remain our priority.
“Together, we shall restore the Lake Chad Region to its glorious days.”
In attendance at the consultation, apart from the Nigerian President, were President Idris Deby Itno of Chad, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic, and prime minister of Cameroon, Philemon Yang, who represented President Paul Biya.
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, November 29, departed Abuja for N’Djamena, Chad, to preside over the summit of heads of states and governments of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
Buhari, in his capacity as chairman of the summit of heads of states and governments of the LCBC, summoned the meeting meant to find lasting solution to the menace of Boko Haram insurgency.
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