Event Summary:
The United States on Thursday 24th September announced a USD45 million plan to aid West African Countries affected by Boko Haram to fight the Islamic State affiliated based in Nigeria.
The aid will include military equipment, training and advanced defense services that will be accorded to the Multi-national Joint Task Force launched by the 5 states; Benin, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Chad that are most affected by the insurgency.
Summary:
The United State announced a $45 Million plan that will be in form of military equipment, training and intelligence to African Nations under the joint task force formed to fight the Boko Haram militants in Nigeria.
This assistance will boost and earlier pledge by Washington towards the same cause. The defense services will back up the AU-approved troops who had recently expressed frustration from the west who seemed reluctant to assist in the fight against Boko Haram.
Nigeria’s President recently gave the country’s army a 3-month ultimatum to defeat the Boko Haram and at the same time commissioning the manufacture of local weapons to reduce dependency on the West.
Countries that will receive the aid are Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin who have in total contributed 8700 troops in the Multi-National Joint Task Force aimed at flushing off and eventually ridding off Boko Haram in the region.
Conclusion:
Since the accent into power of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian troop have recorded tremendous gains against the militants arresting, killing most of the kingpins and even shutting down some of their vital amenities and service providers.
The plan by the US will be fundamental in coordinating the troops both under the task force and individual countries to ensure especially through intensified intelligence sharing the defeat and curb re-strategizing and regrouping of the Boko Haram.
The US has been at the forefront of defeating terrorists network globally with project notably in the Middle East, East and North Africa against al Qaeda, Islamic State, Taliban, Al Shabaab and most recently Boko Haram
