{The fight against the Boko Haram has received a boost with the US releasing $5 billion contribution to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).}
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has also ordered the release of $21 million out of the $100 million pledged to the MNJTF.
The US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced the US donation on Monday.
The various sums have been released in the wake of the latest moves to boost the military operation against the Boko Haram insurgency.
The Task Force is made up of soldiers from states of the Lake Chad Commission (Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon) and Benin.
“We have been working with Nigeria as well as the African countries innovation to address their concerns about Boko Haram because we don’t see this as just a Nigerian problem,” said Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
“We are having discussions with President Muhammadu Buhari on how we might bolster our support. We have already been working with them and providing information,” she went on.
“We are providing some training and support and we’ll love to work with the new administration to see how we might increase the level of support to Nigeria.”
The US would also provide some equipment and support and consult with the MNJTF member countries to look at other areas of support.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield noted that Africa had faced ”some really horrendous terrorist attacks” over the past two years.
“We are working closely with the Lake Chad Basin (LCBC) countries to address the issues of Boko Haram,” she said.
Suicide bombers
President Buhari said his order on the release of funds was in response to a decision by the leaders of the LCBC and Benin in Abuja to immediately fund the MNJTF with not less than $30 million.
“The member countries of Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin, met recently where far reaching decisions were taken to immediately put into operations the Multinational Joint Task Force.
“To this end, the summit approved the immediate provision of $30 million for the Multinational Joint Task Force.”
President Buhari had asked the LCBC countries to articulate their needs for onward delivery to the G7 group of industrialised nations.
The request was based on the promise by the G7 to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism when President Buhari attended its last summit in Germany.
The MNJTF has been billed to deploy more than 9,700 soldiers with headquarters in the Chadian capital N’Djamena.
A Nigerian has been appointed as the commander of the task force.
No fewer than 89 people have been killed by Boko Haram since May 29 when Buhari was inaugurated president.
Twenty-three people were killed Monday (yesterday) when suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers blew themselves up in attacks targeting police in Chad.
Another 101 people were wounded in the simultaneous bombings outside the police headquarters and police academy in N’Djamena, according to a government statement read on national radio.
It said four “terrorists” were also killed but did not give details. Earlier, a police official had said two suicide bombers carried out the attacks.
{{Source: Africa Review}}
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