France Pledges Support to Fight Boko Haram

Tue, Sep 15, 2015

By publisher

3 MIN READ

BREAKING NEWS, Security

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President François Hollande of France has assured Nigeria of its material and intelligence support to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the country and West African states

PRESIDENT François Hollande of France has pledged to assist the Multinational Joint Task Force with intelligence gathering and equipment to fight terrorism in Nigeria and the African sub-region.

Hollande said this on Monday, September 15, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, after a closed door bilateral meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a three-day official visit to France.

Addressing a joint press conference, Hollande said the French government was concerned about the increasing spate of insecurity in Nigeria and the entire West Africa and was ready to render support in tackling extremism.

He said President Buhari and himself had discussed new strategies during their meeting and that the new partnership between the two nations would enable Nigeria and its neighbouring countries of Cameroun, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic through the joint action of the MNJTF to fight the insurgency and restore peace.

The French president said that as an intervention approach to assist in the fight, France last year hosted a regional summit on security in Paris which brought together the neighbouring countries to chat the way forward.

“We provide all of the support to the countries in the region which are affected by this cult and in Nigeria, we want to provide support and solidarity,” he noted.

Hollande also thanked Buhari for his recent actions such as the movement of the military command centre to Maiduguri which, he noted, had helped in curbing activities of Boko Haram sect.

The French leader said his country had concluded arrangements to invest a total of €130m in the development of infrastructure in Nigeria for rebuilding of roads, provision of electricity and water supply.

He said: “Despite the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market which has affected Nigerian expected revenue, the country’s economy still remained strong. The Nigerian economy remains strong, so France wants to be doing business in the country.”

In his remarks, Buhari thanked the French government for its interest in assisting Nigeria and expressed the readiness of his administration to partner with the country for the overall development of the country.

He said that with commitment from France, Nigeria would move to other members of the G7 with its shopping list for further support.

— Sep 15, 2015 @ 13:40 GMT