By Omololu Ogunmade
President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that Nigeria would continue to support the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) based in N’djamena, Chad Republic, despite being at “the low ebb of resources caused by COVID-19 and fallen oil prices.”
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said his principal made the promise in the State House while receiving the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Head of MNJTF Mission, Ambassador Mamman Nuhu.
Buhari, the statement said, noted that despite Nigeria’s lean resources, the security of Nigeria and that of its neighbours must be accorded its own pride of place, “so I will consult with all the relevant officials, and we will do our best.”
Adesina said Nuhu at the meeting, gave the president updates on the proposed recharge of Lake Chad, which he said was one of the priorities of Lake Chad Basin Commission.
He said Nuhu noted Buhari’s “great passion” for those priorities, telling him about the support of the governments of China and Italy and expressed optimism that positive actions would commence soon.
The statement added that Nuhu also commended countries that have contributed troops to MNJTF, noting that “kinetic military approach alone would not eradicate insurgency, and emphasis must also be placed on the root causes, particularly poverty.”
