The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday welcomed the plan by Nigeria and its neighbours to discuss the setting up of a regional military force that would end Boko Haram insurgency.
This was contained in a Presidential Statement adopted as S/PRST/2015/4 by Cristián Melet, Chile’s Permanent Representative to the UN and President of the Council for January.
Oluseyi Soremekun, the National Information Officer of the UN Information Centre, made the statement available online.
Soremekun said Boko Haram had undermined peace and stability in West and Central Africa.
He added: “The Council welcomes the assistance to the States by bilateral and multilateral partners and encourages them to increase the support to enhance the operational capacity of the Multinational Joint Task Force.
“This includes the provision of financial and logistic assistance, relevant equipment and modalities to increase intelligence sharing in order to further the region’s collective efforts in combating Boko Haram.
“The Council welcomes the plan for regional meeting in Niamey, Niger on January 20 to discuss regional response to the threat posed by Boko Haram.
“The Council urges member states, including Benin, to undertake further planning toward sustainable, viable and effective operation of the Multinational Joint Task Force.
“In this regard, the Council urges member states to identify the means and modalities of the envisaged deployment, especially in the areas of intelligence sharing and joint operations.”
The statement noted the outcome of the May 17, 2014 Paris Summit and the follow-up London and Abuja ministerial meetings to enhance information sharing, coordination and joint operations, to effectively combat the insurgency.
The Council also noted the Octeober 7, 2014 the communique of the Extraordinary Summit of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Heads of State and the November 25, 2014 communique of the AU Peace and Security Council on efforts of the LCBC member states and Benin to combat Boko Haram.
It further noted the decision of the LCBC member states and Benin to operationalise the Multinational Joint Task Force through the establishment of a joint headquarters and the deployment of national contingents.
The statement urged the Council to place the sect on the Al-Queda sanction list, saying the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of Boko Haram must be brought to justice.
The Council condemned and deplored all abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law by Boko Haram since 2009, warning that some of its activities could amount to “crimes against humanity”.
It said the abuses included violence against civilian populations, notably women and children, kidnappings, killings, hostage-taking, pillaging, rape, sexual slavery and other sexual violence, recruitment of children and destruction of civilian property.
The statement added: “The Council demands that Boko Haram immediately and unequivocally should cease all hostilities and abuses of human rights and violation of international humanitarian law and disarm or demobilise.
“The Council demands the immediate and unconditional release of all those abducted, who remain in captivity, including the 276 school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno in April 2014.
“It recognises that some of such acts may amount to crimes against humanity and stresses that those responsible for it and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law must be held accountable.”
According to the statement, the Council expressed concern with the scale of the growing humanitarian crisis, which resulted in large-scale displacement within Nigeria and into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
The Council lauded the support provided for refugees by governments of the affected countries, humanitarian organisations, UN agencies and called for the support of the international community.
It strongly condemned the January 10 and 11 suicide bombings in Maiduguri in Borno State and Potiskum in Yobe State, noting that children were coerced to act as suicide bombers with massive civilian casualties.
The Council expressed deep sympathy and condolences to families of victims and the people and the Nigerian government and other affected countries.
It also noted the communique of the Government of Chad, issued on January 14, 2015, which pledged active support in the fight against Boko Haram.
It welcomed the vote by the National Assembly of Chad on January 16, which authorised Chadian armed troops and security forces to assist Cameroonian and Nigerian soldiers in the fight against Boko Haram.