UN, EU meet Buratai on need to stop Boko Haram insurgence

The United Nations and the European Union have called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai to put an end to the spread of Boko Haram fighters and stop the insurgency.

The UN and the EU Special Representatives to West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Mohammed Ibn Chambas and Angel Lusada respectively, made the call on Wednesday when they met with Buratai at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

The envoys, noted that their organisations would work together in the fight against terrorism in the North-East geopolitical zone.

According to Chambas, the establishment of the Lake Chad Governors’ Forum was a welcome development and part of a holistic approach which will focus on the root causes of insurgency.

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He said: “One area of interest is the ongoing efforts to checkmate Boko Haram and stop its spread because of its affiliation to international terror groups. That is why it is incumbent on us all that we must see the fight against Boko Haram as a fight against international terrorism.

“We are all concerned and we believe that Boko Haram is a fight that we can win. That is why we are specially applauding the efforts of the army in dealing with the menace.

“We welcome the establishment of the Lake Chad Governors’ Forum which had its inaugural meeting in Maiduguri last year. We believe it is part of a holistic approach which will focus on the root causes of insurgency.”

On his part, the EU Representative, Lusada, said that the EU was committed to the Multinational Joint Task Force in the efforts to end Boko Haram and other terror groups in the Lake Chad Basin.

“There are many initiatives taking place and new ones coming up and this involves funding, but we want coordination. The crisis has become regional and can only be solved with regional partnerships. That is why we are meeting with stakeholders,” the EU chief said.

In his reaction, Buratai thanked both international organisations for standing by Nigeria in the efforts to dislodge terrorism from the sub-region.

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