TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the turmoil in Southern Libya as “a strategic time bomb”, and he has called on world leaders to work towards resolving the crisis.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbroug, France, on Wednesday, Buhari said the “arms bazaar” in the North African country should not be allowed to continue.

Libya has been plunged into crisis since 2011 when the four decades reign of Muammar Gadhafi was overthrown.

“I must express our serious concern about the alarming situation in southern Libya, which is becoming a strategic time bomb for Africa and indeed Europe,” he said.

“The ungoverned south of southern Libya has become an arms bazaar, which threatens the security of the Sahel region as well as the North Africa region and beyond.

“We must therefore intensify our efforts to find a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis.”

Buhari also said his administration was applying minimum force when necessary in the fight against insurgency in order to prevent human rights abuse.

“We have updated our rules of engagement in fighting terrorism and pay very close attention during operations to the treatment of captured terrorists, civilians caught up in the conflict and in general, safeguarding property,” he said.

“Our aim is to use minimum force necessary in our fight against terrorists.”

He added that his government was committed to ensuring the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.