Commission to deploy 8,700 troops to combat Boko Haram

Member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission are to deploy 8,700 troops to stem the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the region.

The Director of Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, said in statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday that the decision arose from a Meeting of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Ndjamena, Chad recently to finalise arrangements for the deployment.

It said resolutions from the meeting reinforced President Muhammadu Buhari’s earlier directive to his security chiefs to end the insurgency in three months.

The statement said Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, led other defence chiefs to the meeting aimed at eliminating insurgency in the region.

Abubakar said: “Olonisakin visited Chad Republic where he joined other regional military chiefs to deliberate on agreement to accelerate the deployment of the 8,700 strong force.

“The Chiefs of Defence Staff from the Lake Chad Basin Commission, member countries met in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad Republic and finalised details of deployment of the joint force.

“General Olonisakin has been working round the clock towards actualising the presidential directive to end Boko Haram terrorist activities within three months.”

The statement said the meeting discussed modality for the deployment of joint force to two command posts in Nigeria and Cameroon.

It said: “Officers seconded to the MNJTF in N’Djamena were ordered to report immediately to their post, as operation at the Force Headquarters has commenced.

“Present at the meeting were the Chiefs of Defence Staff from the LCBC member countries, MNJTF Commander and other senior military delegates.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that LCBC member countries are Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin Republic.

NAN.