The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has called for a resolute, focused, determined and cohesive response from the Lake Chad Basin Commission members comprising Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin Republic, to the Boko Haram threat.

Speaking at the extra-ordinary summit of Chiefs of Defence Staff of the LCBC countries in Abuja on Tuesday, Badeh noted that the high global security threat, of which Boko Haram was an extension.

He said, “It is a known fact that terrorists do not respect international boundaries and as such, carry out their acts both within and across national boundaries. Without mincing words, the global security threat is very high, an extension of it is seen and felt here in our region by the dastardly act of Boko Haram.

“This has led to instability, under-development and untold hardship to our citizens.”

Badeh stated that there was an urgent need for closer collaboration between the LCBC countries to curb the Boko Haram menace through “operationalisation of the Multinational Joint Task Force.”

Emphasising that the operationalisation of the MNJTF to fight terrorism in the sub-region was crucial, Badeh observed that the meeting would enable the military chiefs to evaluate the implementation of strategic direction for the MNJTF.

Badeh added, “This meeting, which has the primary decision makers in the security infrastructure of the countries of the LCBC, will afford us the opportunity to resolve the thorny issue of terrorism that confronts us; streamline our collective responses and agree on far-reaching decisions that will give a focus to our collaborative efforts in tackling the Boko Haram menace.

“It will also point to our common resolve to work together to put an end to a menace that has become a regional and indeed global problem.”

In his address, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu, noted that the Abuja meeting was a follow up to numerous meetings earlier held to work