BY Haleem Olatunji
The Lake Chad Counter-Terrorism Crusade Network (LCCTCN) says Nigeria has spearheaded counter-terrorism campaign in the Lake Chad Basin region.
In a report signed by McCarthy Ronald, its president, the group said aside Nigeria, troops of other countries have not displayed a substantial commitment to the regional efforts towards ending terrorism.
It said while the Nigerian troops constantly lead onslaught against the radical sect, troops from neighbouring countries hold back, while the insurgents find refuge in their shores.
To put a lasting end to the Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters, the Lake Chad group, however, recommended that other countries must emulate the efforts of the Nigerian authorities.
“The Boko Haram Insurgency in North-East Nigeria has spiralled into the Lake Chad Basin Region comprising of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. The impact of the insurgency has been felt in these countries, and that necessitated the formation of a Multinational Joint Task Force intending to bring to an end the Boko Haram insurgency,” the report read.
“The Lake Chad Counter-Terrorism Crusade Network, an organization devoted to appraising the effectiveness of the counterinsurgency efforts of the countries under the Lake Chad Basin Region, subsequently researched the effectiveness of the counterinsurgency efforts of the various countries towards bringing to an end the Boko Haram
“The research dwelled on military strategies, the commitment of the political authorities of the various countries, as well as the successes recorded in the war against terrorism as well as the sets backs recorded by the different countries.
“The Lake Chad Basin is the largest endorheic drainage basin in Africa, centered on Lake Chad. It has no outlet to the sea and contains large areas of desert or semi-arid savanna. The drainage basin is roughly coterminous with the sedimentary basin of the same name. However, it extends further to the northeast and east. The basin spans seven countries, including most of Chad and a large part of Niger. It has an ethnically diverse population of about 30 million people as of 2011, growing rapidly. However, the geographical area that is of concern is the four countries bordering Lake Chad: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
“The Lake Chad Basin region is the setting of a violent campaign by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati w’al Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad), commonly known as Boko Haram. The violence perpetrated by Boko Haram has resulted in the deaths of nearly 30,000 people since 2009, with extensive physical destruction, the displacement of over 2 million people and economic activity has effectively ground to a halt.
“From the outset, nationals from Niger, Chad, and Cameroon traveled to northern Nigeria, attracted by Mohammed Yusuf’s charismatic sermons and by the small loans offered to his followers. This thus provided the foundation for a multinational sect.
“Given Boko Haram’s pre-2014 focus on north-east Nigeria, neighboring governments initially responded to the threat mainly by keeping the sect under surveillance, and in some cases, reportedly agreeing non-aggression pacts. Governments were reluctant to launch a major crackdown in border regions, possibly for fear of retaliation and, more concretely, owing to their limited capabilities. As Boko Haram’s territorial control expanded across north-east Nigeria and the threat the group posed spread across the borders of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, regional concerns increased, pushing governments towards military cooperation.
“The threat posed by the Boko Haram sect has assumed a regional dimension. It is expedient that the member countries under the umbrella of the Lake Chad Basin Region put their interests’ aside and work towards attaining a common goal.
“The Lake Chad Counter-Terrorism Crusade Network commends the Nigerian authorities for its commitment this far and also encourages Cameroon, Chad, and Niger to join forces with Nigeria in defeating the Boko Haram sect.”
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