(http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/thumbnail.php?file=dude_245739724.jpg&size=article_medium) President Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a more potent action in dealing with security situation within the Lake Chad Basin.
The president made the call in N’djamena, Chad, at the opening session of the 14th Summit of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.
[/size]LCBC comprises of Cameroon, Chad, Centra Africa Republic, Libya, Niger and Nigeria. Sudan has the observer status.Jonathan arrived N’djamena on Monday morning to join the five other Heads of States and Government of LCBC to discuss security situation among other issues.Jonathan in his remark expressed concern at the new spate of insecurity and the threat to the much cherished peace around the lake borders.The security challenge, he said has necessitated the need to have in place a restrategise security plans to address the spate of violence in individual national territories.As a way forward, President Jonathan advocated for the expansion of the mandate of the existing multi-national joint task force around the lake.``It has become urgent to give a new mandate to the multi-national joint task force to include cooperation in dealing with such cross-border insurgency within its area of coverage."Our approach should be holistic and robust to address the general security issues around the common border areas,’’ he said.Citing Nigeria’s security situation, the president noted that perpetrators of the terror attacks, have taken advantage of the freedom of movement around the border areas to wreak havoc in the country. He therefore urged the member states to see the security threat beyond the confines of particular member state, but as a wider threat with sub-regional implications.
TheNation