AL-Shabab top agenda as Africa’s defence Chiefs meet

The Defence HQ disclosed yesterday that in a bid to enhance the multi-national approach towards fighting terrorism which is ravaging African regions, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin is currently in Bamako, Mali for the meeting of African Union (AU) Chiefs of Defence Staff and Ministers of Defence.

The meeting is aimed at engendering participants to partner on the enhancement of security cooperation and the conceptualization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahelo-Saharan region

The meeting which seek collective approach towards addressing the menace will focus on threats faced by countries in the Sahelo-Saharan region, especially the threats of Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria and other member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) as well as the threats of Al-Shabab terrorists in Central Africa.

A statement signed by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar noted that “Participants agreed on the need to enhance operational cooperation between the affected countries so as to increase the effectiveness of their action against threats of terrorism.

“In order to promote a shared assessment of the threats risks in the affected regions, the meeting proposed to classify the threats and risks in the regions into four major categories which include; Terrorism, Organized Crime (Drugs, Arms and Human Trafficking), Illegal Immigration and Separatism”.

“The meeting, marks a new phase in the promotion of regional security and a united front by AU members in the fight against terrorism”.

“Before the close of the meeting, General Olonisakin would use the opportunity to brief the continental Defence Chiefs and Ministers of Defence of AU about efforts Nigeria and its allied in the LCBC are putting in place to contain the aggression of Boko Haram in the sub-region” the statement said.

Recall that General Olonisakin, since assumption of office as CDS, has been working round the clock and collaborating with other countries to tackle insecurity and terrorism in the sub-region.