Boko Haram: Jonathan in security summit

President Goodluck Jonathan is in Paris for a security summit called by French President François Hollande in the wake of the mass kidnapping of more than 200 school girls by Boko Haram. Other regional African leaders are also attending the meeting, for which President Jonathan gave up a scheduled visit to Chibok, where the girls […]

President Goodluck Jonathan is in Paris for a security summit called by French President François Hollande in the wake of the mass kidnapping of more than 200 school girls by Boko Haram.

Other regional African leaders are also attending the meeting, for which President Jonathan gave up a scheduled visit to Chibok, where the girls were abducted on April 14.

Reports indicate military intervention by foreign nations will not be on the agenda for the security talks, though the summit will assess assistance rendered by foreign forces including the US, the UK, and France in the operation against Boko Haram over the kidnappings.

But the president will be urged to seek closer cooperation with neighbouring countries in West Africa, including Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin to better tackle the militants.

An official statement about the talks said the representatives of various countries will “discuss fresh strategies for dealing with the security threat posed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in West and Central Africa”.

It comes amidst report of suspected Boko Haram attack in Cameroon, in which ten people are reported missing.

One person was hurt when militants attacked a Chinese camp near Cameroon’s porous border with north-eastern Nigeria.

Those missing had been working for Chinese company Sinohydro, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported.

Militants have staged several attacks in Cameroon; last year they kidnapped several members of a French family, who were later released, reported the BBC.