The Force Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force MNJTF, Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim says, the use of kinetic and brute force alone cannot end the menace of the Boko Haram and Islamic State in West African Province ISWAP in the region but a comprehensive societal approach.
General Ibrahim who was speaking while making a presentation at the just concluded Third Steering Committee Meeting of Regional Stabilisation Strategy RSS of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in Douala Cameroon said, though the MNJTF through its kinetic operations has degraded the terrorists’ capacity to carry out their nefarious activities as in the past, there was a need for a comprehensive whole of society approach to finally end the menace of the terrorists.
The FC, in his presentation on the Security Situation in the Lake Chad Basin Area briefed the participants on the MNJTFs response to the BHT/ISWAP threats via Operation Sharan Fage and the ongoing Operation Lake Sanity.
On the Humanitarian activities and resettlement of IDPs, He assured that the MNJTF has continued to support national and political authorities to achieve it.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), Amb Mamman Nuhu said that the RSS Steering Committee was established in 2018 as part of the governance mechanisms for the RSS and adopted by the Council of Ministers of the LCBC on 30 Aug 2018.
He also said it serves as the principal strategic, coordination and decision – making organ that ensures the RSS achieves its overall strategic objectives and delivers results as intended. Therefore, the Third Steering Committee Meeting would assess the work done so far with a view to make adjustments where necessary.
The Third meeting was to review progress over the past two years, propose strategic actions for sustaining progress and make concrete strategic recommendations to key actors to ensure progress was scaled up through the Territorial Action Plans (TAPs).
The meeting had in attendance the ES of the LCBC, the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) of United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), International Support Groups, African Union Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Representative of the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development of Cameroon, Representatives of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, just to mention but a few.
A presentation on Conflict, Dynamics and Emerging Trends in the Region was given by the Institute for Security Studies. Subsequently, the RSS secretariat gave presentations on the implementation of the 2nd Steering Committee recommendations, Overview of Strategic Initiatives of 2021, Proposed Cross Border Intervention and others. Extensive deliberations were held on the presentations and recommendations were made.