Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari says it is time for “a new way forward that completely removes the threat of terrorism from Lake Chad sub-region.”
The Nigerian President made the remarks following a meeting with his Chadian counterpart Idris Deby on the sidelines of the 14th Islamic Summit, hosted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
According to the Nigerian presidency’s spokesperson Garba Shehu, the two leaders agreed on the need for sub-regional leaders to sit down and agree on changing the strategy “for a more sustained operation, which will continue until the threat is brought to a permanent end.’’
The two leaders’ talks also touched on the challenges to the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad region, including heavy rains that disrupt ground operations.
President Buhari pledged to put more focus on the fight against terrorism since the election period was now behind him.
The Lake Chad region has been dogged by terrorism for years, perpetrated by Boko Haram. Tens of thousands have been killed in the insurgency, with millions others displaced from their homes.
Security was a key pledge in President Buhari’s campaigns, with a promise to rid the country of terrorism.
Presidents Buhari and Deby are among tens of world leaders gathered in Mecca for the 14th Islamic Summit.
With 57 member states from four continents, the OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization in the world after the United Nations, with a collective population reaching over 1.8 billion.
The majority of its member states are Muslim-majority countries, while others have significant Muslim populations.
