Defeating Boko Haram, others still long road ahead – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan said on Tuesday that the hope of defeating the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Africa is still a long way ahead.


He spoke in Nairobi, Kenya at the opening ceremony of the 455th African Union Peace and Security Council meeting at the Level of Heads of State and Government.

He lamented the worsening insurgent activities of Boko Haram, al-Shabaab and the Lord Resistance Army in parts of Africa while he also commended the past efforts of African leaders to tackle insurgency in the continent.

He said, “While both member states and the Commission deserve to be commended for their commitment and efforts, nonetheless, much remains to be done.

“The atrocities that continue to be committed by the terrorist groups active in the Sahelo-Saharan region, Boko Haram, the LRA, al- Shabaab and other terrorist groups, bear testimony to the long road ahead of us.”

The meeting which was with the theme, ‘terrorism and violent extremism in Africa,’ held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.

President Jonathan, who also read the speech of the Chairman of the African Union, Ould Aziz, at the occasion, called on African countries to fulfill their earlier commitments to joint action against terrorism in the areas of legal measures, border control and exchange of intelligence.

Though the president identified the roles of social issues like unemployment and poverty in the worsening security problem in the continent, while proffering solution to the menace, he called for enhanced concerted efforts of African leaders in order to defeat the terrorist groups.

He also reiterated the need for the African leaders to deploy the legal and political instruments already at their disposal to tackle insurgency in the continent.

He said, “The first solution relates to the need for enhanced cooperation among member states and between the continent and the rest of the international community.

“Indeed the problem we are confronting is global in nature. Terrorist and organised crime syndicate operate in networks that can only be defeated through concerted action and cooperation. The African Union and its various instruments and mechanisms provide the framework within which we should combine our efforts and pull together our scarce resources.

“The second point pertains to the need for action-oriented approach. We are now well equipped in terms of legal, political and normative instruments. The tasks ahead of us is to ensure their effective implementation.

“The countries concerned should take the steps required to become parties to the relevant African and international instruments. We should as member states fulfill our commitments and obligations, particularly with respect to legal measures, border control, exchange of intelligence and other related measures.”

Earlier, the Chairperson of the Council, Idriss Debby of Chad assured that the Council would do everything possible to end terror in the continent.

On his part, the host President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, called on African leaders to provide the funds needed to fight terrorism to complement external supports from outside Africa.