Jonathan Meets Chadian Leader Over Boko Haram

In a bid to forge a stronger alliance against terrorism and violent extremism with Nigeria’s neighbours, President Goodluck Jonathan will meet Chadian President Idriss Debyleave in Ndjamena, Chad, today, Monday, 8 September, 2014.

According to a statement made public by the Special Adviser to the President Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, it said the talks with President Deby, who is also the chairman of African Union’s, AU Peace and Security Council, is a follow-up on their discussions in Nairobi last week on the sidelines of the African Union Peace and Security Council Summit.

President Jonathan in Nairobi, Kenya.

Abati informed that President Jonathan and his host will discuss the further actualisation of agreements for greater cooperation against insurgents and terrorists reached by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon at a meeting in Paris earlier this year.

“Their talks are expected to strengthen the Paris Accord on joint border patrols, intelligence sharing and prevention of illicit movement of terrorists, arms and ammunition across shared borders.

“Before returning to Abuja tomorrow, President Jonathan will be a Special Guest of Honour at an international conference on Information Technology and Communication holding in Ndjamena on the same day,” the statement read.

It would be recalled that President Jonathan had on 1 September, 2014, traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to attend a meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council.

No fewer than 14 other African leaders reportedly attended the AU meeting which is a crucial department of the regional body saddled with the responsibility of preventing, managing and resolving conflicts in Africa.

It was gathered that top on the matters discussed at the meeting were the ongoing Boko Haram terrorist attacks in Nigeria, the insurgency in Mali as well as other terror- related activities going on in the continent.

African  leaders had last Tuesday unanimously decided to consider the possibility of establishing a special continental fund that would be used in curtailing terrorism in the continent.

The proposal for the special fund, which was put forward by President Uhuru Kenyatta, at the 455th African Union Peace and Security Council meeting at the level of Heads of State and Government held in Nairobi, is expected to be adopted in its next African Union (AU) summit scheduled to hold in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The union also warned against payment of ransom and encouragement of financial terrorism and urged member states to make sure that their territories are not used as recruitment grounds for terrorists. The union explained that the decision was geared towards stopping over-reliance on foreign in curbing insurgency.

The Boko Haram insurgency that intensified in Nigeria since 2009 is believed to have claimed the lives of over 5,000 innocent people and displaced more than half of a million others across Nigeria.

Apart from Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad have also suffered from the terror attacks carried out by the Islamist militants as more residents in northern Nigeria are fleeing into neighbouring countries through Nigerian porous border.

Few weeks ago, about 480 Nigerian soldiers and villagers were said to have crossed into Cameroon following fierce battle with Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.