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Regional security chiefs meet in Abuja over Boko Haram

Xinhua, March 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Security chiefs from Nigeria, Chad and Niger on Monday met in the capital Abuja to review the progress so far made in the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign against Boko Haram.

Chris Olukolade, spokesperson for Nigeria's defense headquarters said in a statement that the meeting of the defense chiefs of staff was to finetune the coordination of the activities of the collaborative efforts of the operations.

He said the meeting eventually resolved to establish a structure for joint planning to enhance the operations and consolidate on the successes so far achieved in the mission with a view to accelerating the tempo of operations.

Olukolade added that a Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH) is to be established and activated immediately, pending any other structure being put in place at regional and international organizations level with regards to the counter-terrorism efforts.

The military spokesperson said the three countries actively involved in the ongoing operation namely, Cameroon, Chad and Niger are expected to utilize the structure to beef up their liaison teams already operating in the mission area.

According to him, the arrangement is to enhance operational and tactical coordination as well as the synchronization of command, control and communication in the field and the higher headquarters.

Olukloade said the structure will operate in cognizance of existing bilateral and multilateral documents and understanding among the countries.

Niger, Cameroon and Chad have launched a regional military campaign to help Nigeria defeat the Islamist insurgency. Endi