Nigeria, France, 4 others join forces against Boko Haram

Following the upsurge in Boko Haram insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the country,  Nigeria has entered into agreement with France, Cameroon, and three of her other neighbours in a bid to contain the menace of the terrorists.

This is to increase the level of coordination and exchange of intelligence as well as hold regular meetings of experts with a view to containing the menace.
According to an online news portal, The Premium Times, Nigeria’s other neighbours who also agreed to ensure effective policing of common borders to avoid the infiltration of terrorists and other criminals as well as the repatriation of suspects in conformity with existing protocols are the Republic of Benin, Chad and Niger.
The meeting also recommended that the doctrine proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan that “an act of terror against one nation is an act of terror against all,” be adopted by Heads of State of participating states and that “the reaction of member-states to acts of terror be spontaneous, concerted, broad-based and integrated.”

Boko Haram has killed more than 400 Immigration Officers

Radical sect, Boko Haram has killed no fewer than 400 officers and men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Atiku Bagudu, has said that activities by insurgents in the Northern part of the country has claimed more than 400 officers of NIS, especially during jail breaks in the country.

He said the figures were given to members of his committee when they went on oversight function.

He called for the use of technology and provision of more arms for NIS officers to help stop the activities of Boko Haram and address the challenges of the country’s Northeast borders.

“We need to give more arms to the prison service. The prison service should not be considered a secondary arm of the security system, it is a major one,” he said.

Bagudu said the country’s border with Cameroon has always posed a problem.

 “Chadians coming to the northeast are always armed and use firearms, because Chad had been at war. Fencing four thousand miles border will be very difficult. Technology has changed the way we monitor the borders, with increased use of technology and more personnel, we can achieve more with less spending. We are members of the ECOWAS group of nations. We are committed to free entry and exit. Even if we seal our borders, we can’t stop ECOWAS members from coming into our country.”