Leaders of five West Africans nations and France have declared war on terror group, Boko Haram.
At a special summit to end the violence being fomented by Boko Haram, West African leaders have declared war on the terror group.
The presidents of Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Benin Republic and Republic of Chad and their host Francois Hollande, the French President made this declaration at the end of a special summit to end the violence being fomented by Boko-Haram across the West-Africa sub-region.
The countries also resolved to launch trans-border military operations against Boko Haram
Nigeria has borne the brunt of Boko-Haram’s attack with residents of its North-Eastern region living in fear and economic activities at a standstill.
At the meeting Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, said that 20,000 military personnel had been deployed to the North-East to search for the over 250 schoolgirls who were kidnapped 3 weeks ago.
He noted that, “From 2009 to date, it has been operating clearly as an al-Qeada organisation. It can better be described as an al-Qeada West and Central Africa.
“It is no longer the Boko Haram that came with the sentiment that Western education is prohibited; that women must not go to school and nobody should attend formal, Western-based institutions. It is no more operating under that guise.
“Presently, Nigeria has 20,000 troops in the north-eastern part of the country, where we have these terrorists. They are scanning the area with surveillance aircraft and local intelligence sources.”
Speaking, the Nigerien President, Mahamadou Issoufou, said the presidents were committed to bringing about regional mobilisation in the fight against the sect and to free the kidnapped girls.
The President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, said the meeting was to confirm the countries’ determination to “fight vigorously against Boko Haram.”
He said Boko Haram insurgency was not limited to Nigeria but the continent, adding that “we have to take a clear fight against Boko Haram.”
Biya stated that there was a strong determination to fight and declare a total war against the group, “which we will fight with all our strength.”
His Chadian counterpart, Idriss Deby, also said the meeting agreed to a face off with Boko Haram before it put the continent into a “total state of disorder and this chaos takes over.”
In his submission, the President, Republic of Benin, Boni Yayi, said the international community had not been sensitive enough to Boko Haram, which had been declared as a terrorist organisation long ago.
He said the meeting was to make the world know that the sect was an extremely dangerous movement adding that there was the need for nations to put their resources together to end the activities of the group.