Boko Haram opportunity for Nigeria to lead African security system – French envoy

The outgoing French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jacques de Labriolle, says the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency is an opportunity for Nigeria to take its leadership role in African security system.

Labriolle told NAN in Abuja that African countries, led by Nigeria, needed to show the lead in the fight against insurgency for the rest of the world to support.

He said the fight against Boko Haram must first be fought by Nigeria and its neighbours in the sub-region mostly affected by the insurgency, and then the African continent.

He said thereafter, the UN and other countries could offer the required diplomatic supports. “The crisis of Boko Haram is an opportunity for Nigeria to take the lead in an African Security system that works.

“What is needed is efforts to build an African capacity that the rest of the world can support because it is a collective African move.

“What is needed and what will gain support from the World Bank, the European Union, from the big donors, will be efforts that make collective sense, sustainable sense.

“Once you have the support of the UN Security Council, then you can gather financial support from the countries that are involved,” he said.

Labriolle said France was ready to mobilise UN Security Council support for an African Force to effectively deal with the Boko Haram insurgency.

He stressed that a strong security force was needed by African countries to effectively deal with the West Africa’s Boko Haram insurgency.

The ambassador said that the West African sub-region had different security challenges which needed military intervention.

He commended the collaboration of the four countries of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

The envoy also said a concept to holistically address the security challenges was being worked out; adding the first version of the operational concept was recently drafted in Yaoundé.

“It is now being refined by all the military in the region, including the Nigerian military in N’Djamena as we speak.

“We hope that it is endorsed by the African Union (AU) and with the endorsement of the AU when it gets to the UN Security Council approval will be very easy.

“That is exactly why the French Foreign Minister went around. It is to help and to express support for these efforts,” he said.

According to him, the tone by the minister is meant to create diplomatic momentum on an effort to address the issue of terrorism in the region.

“This is in a way that will be helpful to get result and also helpful to build an African security system that works well and works fast,” he said.