Chiefs of Defence Staff in Africa meet to combat terrorists

African Union (AU) Chiefs of Defence Staff and Ministers of Defence are currently meeting in Bamako, Mali to enhance the multi-national approach towards fighting terrorism which is ravaging African regions.

Read: Service Chiefs brief President on Boko Haram fight

According to a report by Vanguard, the Defence HQ disclosed that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin has joined other army chiefs from other African countries for the meeting.

The meeting, it was gathered, 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

While the meeting is expected to 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, defence chiefs and ministers are expected to seek collective approach towards addressing the menace.

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.