Buhari Addresses Lake Chad Basin Summit

By Umar Isa

President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned another Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to address prevailing security challenges in the sub-region.

President Buhari stated that the meeting, which is a follow up to a similar one held in N’djamena, the Chadian capital in November, was convened for the adoption of a report of the LCBC security and defense committee on the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to the Nigerian leader, the time has come for the evil of Boko Haram to be brought to a definitive end and expressed the hope that the Saturday’s summit would take the right decisions in this regard.

“This is a fight to the finish. We must, and we will, by the grace of God, wipe out terrorism from our sub-region.

The president observed that their participation in today’s summit was a clear demonstration of the collective resolute commitment of the sub-region to the fight against the common enemy, Boko Haram, and the restoration of lasting peace and security to the sub-region.

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He said, “Your Excellencies would recall that during our Summit in N’Djamena, the need to overhaul our current strategy and concept of operations in the fight against the Boko Haram Terrorists took the center stage of our discussions.

“This was necessitated by the resurgence of attacks, particularly on the military, and the abduction of civilians for ransom across our borders by Boko Haram with the support of international terrorists who have infiltrated our sub-region.

“Our meeting today will consider the report of the Committee we set up during our last Summit on the way forward.’’

President Buhari thanked the Committee for meeting the deadline assigned to it and expressed the hope that their recommendations will bring a new dynamism in the fight against Boko Haram and their international affiliates.

He noted that the Lake Chad region had suffered decades of neglect and poor infrastructural development, saying that the Boko Haram crisis in the last eight years had worsened its already bad situation.

“We must take cognizance of the fact that sustainable growth and development of the sub-region is dependent on the quick attainment of peace and stability in the area.

“We must put an end to the crisis in the sub-region to enable meaningful development for its people.

“We must remain resolute and committed in our collective efforts at attaining peace as well as eradicating terrorism and violent extremism from the sub-region,’’ he added.

The time has come for the evil of Boko Haram to be brought to a definitive end. I am sure that this summit will take the right decisions in this regard.

“This is a fight to the finish. We must, and we will, by the grace of God, wipe out terrorism from our sub-region,’’ he added.

The president maintained that while executing the war against the Boko Haram terrorists, “we must not be oblivious of the fact that the military may not provide the desired results alone.’’

(NAN)