Marshal Idris Deby Itno, the President of Chad, on Saturday expressed optimism that the armies of the four countries under the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) can eradicate the Boko Haram insurgents.
The Chadian President made this assertion while responding to questions from State House correspondents after an official visit to President Muhammadu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja which was held behind closed doors.
The Chadian leader said terrorism remains an issue in the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel region of Africa because the MNJTF has not been carrying out enough required operations.
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According to him, he discussed the situation at the MNJTF with President Buhari, saying a situation where the joint military outfit embarks on just one operation in a whole year has made the fight difficult.
Marshal Into expressed optimism that with the new strategies being deployed and new officers with fresh ideas being assigned to take over commands at both national and regional levels, the menace of the various terror groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State, West African Province (ISWAP), would be addressed permanently.
‘However, with the new security apparatus that has been put in place with the new security chiefs and not only in Nigeria but even on the Multinational Joint Task Force itself, which also has new leadership, that we’re hopeful now that with new strategies and new dynamism, that we’ll be able to address definitively the issue of Boko Haram.
‘All the countries participating are taking responsibility, none of them is shirking their responsibilities and the military of all the countries also have that sense of responsibility of what needs to be done and what their obligation is, which is to protect all the countries and that they are fully on track for that and that with this new security architecture, we’re hopeful that the things will get much better and it will be done all together.
‘Boko Haram is indeed an evil that has hampered the four countries of the Lake Chad Basin and it has done much harm to our populations. It would be remembered that since 2013/2014, the four countries put together their means to create the Multinational Joint Task Force, this Multinational Joint Task Force has had good results.
‘Unfortunately, the resilience of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in the Lake Chad Basin has been unprecedented. They are being supplied and being trained and being formed through Libya. The MNJTF has done a lot of work and as you have seen recently, we’ve had exchanges on this with my brother on the way ahead. With the new team of the Chief of Defence Staff and the new Commander that has been appointed at the Multinational Joint Task Force, they are convinced that we can eradicate Boko Haram.
‘There’s a lot of hope on this new team, with this new strategy. I remain confident that the four armies of the four countries can finish this evil and eradicate Boko Haram once and for all,’ he submitted.
President Itno, while speaking further, said a number of important issues including the challenges facing Nigeria and Chad were discussed at the meeting.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
