B/Haram: Cameroon, others yet to fulfill troops surge pledge

The countries, under the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) said a special joint security task force is to be set up that will ensure deployment of troops at the borders of the countries to curb the sect’s activities.The Niamey meeting is sequel to France president, Francois Hollande’s mediated interface between Nigeria and its Francophone neighbours […]

The countries, under the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) said a special joint security task force is to be set up that will ensure deployment of troops at the borders of the countries to curb the sect’s activities.
The Niamey meeting is sequel to France president, Francois Hollande’s mediated interface between Nigeria and its Francophone neighbours about three months ago, where they agreed to work together in fighting the group.
However, the countries are unable to meet the number of troops agreed at the Paris meet.
Niger’s Defence minister Muhammad Karijo, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service yesterday admitted that despite the various engagements of troops, “all the countries would soon send their soldiers” for the joint border operation.
“We are going to join security forces on military hard wares and the troops will work together on the borders of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, under a special task force unit.
“There has not been any problem about the coalition, but the challenge is that almost all our member countries’ soldiers are engaged with many internal operations.
“If for instance, we demand about 600 to 700 troops (from each country), most of us are not willing to release such numbers for the operation. That is why we want to deliberate on how we can arrive at the expected number of troops,” he said.
The minister explained further that “like Niger, most of its troops are in Diffa region for an operation; Chad also sent its troops somewhere. Cameroon said they sent 300 troops, with about 400 still remaining.”
He said up to now, none of the expected troops have yet arrived for the joint forces, but assured that all the countries would soon send their soldiers.
Executive Secretary of the LCBC, Engineer Sanusi Imran Abdullahi, said that issue of financing of the special joint forces unit transcend the level of defence ministers of the countries, but could only be sorted by the presidents of the member countries.
“We want maximum participation of Cameroon into this coalition. Cameroon is already in the coalition, but with one leg in, and one leg out.
“Another issue to be discussed at the head of states meeting is the financing for the running of the special unit. Critical issue like this could not be sorted out by the ministers but has to reach the leaders of these countries,” he said.