(UPDATED)Boko Haram: National contingents to be deployed on July 30

The Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission
and Benin rose from their extraordinary summit in Abuja on Thursday
approving the deployment of national contingents to the Multinational
Joint Task Force by July 30. The MNJTF was set up and saddled with the
responsibility of fighting the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The approval was contained in a communique released at the end of the
summit held at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja and presided over by President Mahamadou
Issoufou of Niger Republic.
The heads of government, including President Muhammadu Buhari,
resolved that the national contingents be deployed under the
operational command of the MNJTF Commander assisted by his Joint
Headquarters.
A Nigerian, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, was recently appointed the
Force Commander.
According to the communique, the summit also approved three key
positions of responsibility of the MNJTF headquarters.
The position of the Force Commander would be held by Nigeria, the
Deputy Force Commander was zoned to Cameroon while the post of the
Chief of Staff would be occupied by Chad.
While Nigeria will hold the office of the Force Commander until the end
of the mission,the two remaining positions would be rotational every
12 months.
The summit also approved the immediate deployment of the MNJTF
headquarters at N’Djamena (Chad) by implementing its human, logistic
and financial requirements.
Participants also approved $30m for the funding and equipping of the
headquarters.
They also requested the African Union’s logistics and financial
supports to the MNJTF in its operations.
They also resolved to seek the support of strategic partners, notably,
European Union, France, United Kingdom and the United States of
America.
The heads of governments also requested the President of the United
Nations Security Council to make a declarative statement in support of
MNJTF operations against the Boko Haram terrorist group.
In the course of their deliberation, the Heads of State acknowledged
with satisfaction the successes recorded on military operations jointly
conducted in the field by the coalition of the troops from Cameroun,
Niger, Nigeria and Chad which have significantly broken down the
military capability of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
However, they agreed on the need to be continually active by taking
decisive measures in order to totally curb Boko Haram insurgency.
Buhari faults joint task force commander’s six-
month tenure
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday kicked against a proposed
guideline of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin
Commission and Benin that recommended six months duration for
change of the command and control structure of the Multinational
Joint Task Force.
He urged his colleagues to allow Nigeria retain the position of the
Force Commander of the MJTF throughout the period of the war
against insurgency.
Buhari made the appeal in his opening remarks at an extra-ordinary
meeting of the commission’s Heads of State and Government held at
the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Abuja.
A Nigerian, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, was recently appointed the
Force Commander.
The President argued that military operations that are subjected to
rapid change of command and control structures would not be
efficient.
He said Nigeria should be allowed to retain the position of the
commander since the country would be providing the bulk of the troops
and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.
He said, “While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared
responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations
that are subjected to rapid turnover of command and control
structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the
documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and
efficiency.
“Such a process will undermine, even if it not intended, the military
capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the
uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.”
“I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for your
excellencies’ consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the
Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort.
“This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since
Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of
the war is on Nigerian soil.”
Buhari also promised to redeem the pledge made by Nigeria to
contribute $100m to the force.
“Nigeria has already pledged the sum of $100m for the smooth takeoff
of the MJTF. I hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith
with this promise,” he declared.
Buhari also stressed the need to strengthen cross border patrol and
intelligence sharing, adding that efforts must be targeted at limiting
the insurgents’ capacity to access funds and weapons
Setting the tone for the meeting, the President said the parley was
premised on common resolve and commitment of member states to
maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents
until they are completely defeated.
He said it was also meant to mitigate the suffering which had been
imposed on the civilian population by the nefarious activities of the
insurgents and the terrorists.
He added that the meeting also afforded them an opportunity to
finalise the instruments of the operations of force in order to give life
to the joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents.
He added, “You will recall in my inaugural address on May 29, 2015, I
affirmed that I will consult regularly with heads of government of our
immediate neighborhood and I have within four days of my assumption
of duty as President embarked on a thank you visits to the Presidents
of Niger and Chad.
“This important assignment was however interrupted because I had to
honour the invitation extended to me by the G-7 member states to
attend their meeting in Germany.
“I intend to continue his thank you visits to the remaining Lake Chad
Basin Commission member states very shortly.”
The meeting was attended by President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger
Republic; President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad Republic and President
Boni Yayi of Benin Republic.
Cameroonian President was represented by his Minister of Defence.