The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that the information available to him shows that the weapons from the raging war between Russia and Ukraine are now finding their way into the Lake Chad Basin region.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the Lake Chad region is an economically and socially integrated area in West and Central Africa straddling Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
In his opening address at the 16th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), held at the Conference Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari, who is also the Chairman of the Summit, said the situation which had heightened the proliferation of small arms and light weapons called for reawakening of the border security of the countries of the region.
President Buhari asserted that the Russia/Ukraine conflict and other violent situations in the Sahel region of West Africa had compounded the Boko Haram terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin region.
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He said though a lot had been done to decimate the strength of the Boko Haram terror group and other violent extremist groups in the region, terrorists threats still persist.
‘I am glad to inform my dear brothers that in keeping with that decision, the MNJTF has since then, successfully conducted three major operations: Ops‘YANCIN TAFKI (I&II) and Ops Lake Sanity I, with, the fourth one, Ops Lake Sanity II, being planned. The next phase of the operation will take cognizance of lessons learnt from previous exercises and effectively consolidating the gains attained by preceding Ops.
‘I am glad to note that during the execution of Ops Lake Sanity I, regrouping terrorists in the Lake Chad Islands were effectively decimated.
‘It must however be stated that despite the successes recorded by the gallant troops of the MNJTF and the various ongoing national operations in the region, the terrorist threats still lurks in the region.
‘Regrettably, the situation in the Sahel and the raging war in Ukraine serve as major sources of weapons and fighters that bolster the ranks of the terrorists in Lake Chad Region. A substantial proportion of the arms and ammunitions procured to execute the war in Libya, continues to find its way to the Lake Chad Region and other parts of the Sahel. Weapons being used for the war in Ukraine and Russia are equally beginning to filter to the region.
‘This illegal movement of arms into the region has heightened the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which continues to threaten our collective peace and security in the region. There is therefore, the urgent need for expedited collaborative actions by our border control agencies and other security services to stop the circulation of all illegal weapons in the region,’ he said.
The President said governments of the region needed to complement the ongoing efforts with the provision of sustainable development projects, which he said would make life more conducive for the people and restore their confidence in the State.