President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his willingness to end Boko Haram insurgency by declaring that the Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Commission will crush the sect before the year 2015 runs out.
The president, who stated this in Cotonou, Benin Republic capital, at a gala lunch held in his honour, commended that country’s president, Boni Yayi. Buhari announced an increase of his troops to 800 for the MNJTF.
And I assure you that we will defeat Boko Haram by the end of this year,” Buhari said in Cotonou where he had gone as the special guest of honour at the 55th independence anniversary of Benin Republic.
The president further observed that Nigeria, since under his watch as military head of state, had learnt to live in peace with her neighbours.
“I am impressed by your concern and critical approaches by increasing your contributions to the multinational task force of the Lake Chad Commission. This is a great sacrifice on the part of Benin Republic.
“Even in my first coming into office under a different arrangement, we have learnt to live in peace with our neighbours. Within the week I was sworn in, I went to Niger, Chad. I was supposed to go to Cameroon but I was summoned by the G7 leaders to brief them about the security situation in Nigeria concerning Boko Haram which declared allegiance to ISIS which gives it international dimension.”
President Yayi who had pledged earlier that Benin Republic has concluded plans to send about 800 troops to assist in the war against terror, said his country would collaborate with Nigeria in containing the Boko Haram sect.
“Your Excellency, I am by your side. You are not alone. We are ready to send about 800 men, he stated, even as he acknowledged that the Republic of Benin has been the 37th state of Nigeria’’ he said.