Meanwhile,
the Nigerian government yesterday welcomed a US decision to send up to
300 military personnel to Cameroun to help the regional fight against
Boko Haram, despite having itself requested more direct help from
Washington.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman
Garba Shehu said the deployment was a “welcome development” while the
military said it demonstrated that cooperation was needed against the
Islamists.
US President Barack Obama on Wednesday
said 90 personnel had already been sent and the full contingent would
conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
“The United States has given the pledge
to support the fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria and in the region,”
Shehu told AFP by phone.
“This is the fulfillment of that pledge and we are very happy about it. The United States’ move is quite commendable.”
Military spokesman, Colonel Rabe
Abubakar, added: “This is how the fight can be done collectively with
partners cooperating with us to fight against a common cause, terrorism,
which has been ravaging the region for some time now.
“We appeal to other nations to emulate the good example of the United
States. The United States has experience in fighting terrorism.
“Fighting terrorism is not one nation’s issue. It requires a global effort. We all need to work together… to fight this evil.”
Buhari, who took office in May vowing to
end the violence, on Wednesday met the US military’s Africa Command
(AFRICOM) chief, General David Rodriguez, in Abuja, has spearheaded
efforts for a new, five-nation fighting force against Boko Haram.
The Multinational Joint Task Force
(MNJTF) was due to be deployed in late July but the deadline passed with
no new date announced for it to start.
The US announcement came after the
Islamic State group-allied militants increased attacks against civilians
using suicide bombers in border areas of Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and
Niger.
Diplomatic relations between Abuja and
Washington were strained under Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan,
over the United States’ refusal to sell weapons to Nigeria.
Buhari repeated those criticisms in July
on a visit to the US capital, asserting the embargo, in place because
of his military’s human rights record, was helping Boko Haram.
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