Boko Haram: Buhari Wants Nigeria To Retain Commander Of Multinational Joint Task Force

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Thursday, June 11th, 2015

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen – The meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin, Thursday, ended in an unexpected direction as proposed guideline, which recommends six months duration for change of the Command and control structure of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) was turned down by Mr. President.

President Buhari while addressing an extra-ordinary meeting of the commission’s Heads of State and Government in Abuja, instaed requsted that Nigeria should be allowed to remain the Force Commander of the MJTF while the war against the insurgents last.

He maintained that the country should be allowed to retain the position of the Commander, which Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai occupies, since Nigeria has obligation to supply the troops while the territory of the war is Nigerian.

President Buhari noted he agreed that the joint operation was with the designated responsibilities, still, considered the military operations with expectation of bringing rapid turnover of command and control structures, within six months duration, as proposed was not enough for an effective outcome.

He observed that the arrangement would undermine the military capacity especially with respect to sustain the push against the insurgents, “who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.”

Mr. President emphasized the need to strengthen cross border patrol and intelligence sharing. He directed that joint efforts must be mapped out to access funds and weapons.

Thursday’s meeting was attended by the Chadian President, Idriss Deby; Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic as well as President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic, while the Cameroon President, Paul Biya, was represented by his Defence Minister.