National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, Friday, ruled out the need for a United Nations or African Union-backed force to fight Boko Haram. According to him, Nigeria and its partners can handle the threat.
It is expected that African leaders will discuss the possibility of “enhanced international support” against Boko Haram on the sidelines of an AU summit later this month, as the group continues its campaign of terror.
Dasuki however said such support would be uncalled for. “It’s something that we can do. It’s absolutely something we can do,” he told BBC World Service radio in an interview.
“I think as it is we are in good shape to address the issue with those partners, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.”
Representatives of the four countries, this week, met to discuss details of a new regional force to counter the rising threat from the Islamist militants, following the collapse of the Multi-national Joint Task Force, which had begun even before the onslaught on its headquarters by the terrorists.
Tuesday’s meeting agreed to transfer the headquarters of the new force from Nigeria to the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, reflecting concern about Boko Haram’s rising transnational threat.
Boko Haram has seized dozens of towns and villages in the northeast in the last six months and now controls the border of Borno State with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
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