PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and
his counterparts from Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic are to review
ongoing collaboration against terrorism and agree on further joint action to
curb terrorism and insurgency within and across their national boundaries.
The leaders are to take the
decision at an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the
Lake Chad Basin Commission, holding today in Niamey, Niger.
Jonathan and the affected heads
of state and government had resolved at a meeting in Paris, France, in May, to
intensify joint efforts to curtail terrorism and violent extremism.
At the Paris Summit, hosted by
President Francois Hollande of France, in the aftermath of the abduction of the
Chibok College girls, Jonathan and the neighbouring heads of state and
government also agreed to establish joint anti-terrorism patrols and a system
of sharing intelligence, to support operations against terrorists and other
cross-border criminals.
They also agreed to create a
dedicated team to draw up and advise on the implementation of a regional
counter-terrorism strategy under the framework of the Lake Chad Basin
Commission.
A statement from presidential
spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, which confirmed the meeting, noted that Benin
Republic, which participated in the Paris Summit but not a member of the Lake
Chad Basin Commission, had been invited to the Niamey talks.
It disclosed that Jonathan, who
will be accompanied to Niamey by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador
Aminu Wali; Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Chief Of
Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Barde and other senior government
officials, will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the one-day summit.
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