By Ese Awhotu, with agency report
Niger’s Foreign Minister, Mohamed Bazoum on Thursday said African nations threatened by Nigeria’s Boko Haram will seek UN Security Council authorisation for a multinational force to take on the militants.
Bazoum said the countries of the Lake Chad region had agreed during a meeting in Niamey that the resolution would be presented to the UN by the African Union.
However, he did not specify when this would be done.
‘Boko Haram, which is fighting to create an Islamic emirate in northern Nigeria, has increasingly made incursions into neighbouring Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
“Mistrust and disagreements between the states has however hampered attempts to pool military resources.
“The countries had agreed to create a multinational force to tackle the insurgents by last November but failed to contribute the troops.
“Contrary to what happened in the past, we agreed with our partners that a resolution should pass by the Security Council that will allow the establishment of the Joint Multinational Force,’’ Bazoum noted.
He said the countries also agreed to move the headquarters of the proposed multinational force from the Nigerian town of Baga to the Chadian capital N’Djamena after Baga was seized and ransacked by Boko Haram fighters.
Recall that the United Nations Security Council this week directed the Boko Haram to immediately release the over 200 Chibok girls that were kidnapped by the sect.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
