ECOWAS Defence chiefs meet on Boko Haram

By Augustine Ehikioya and Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja 

Defence Chiefs in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet in Abuja today to brainstorm on terrorism.

 In a statement in Abuja yesterday by the Communications Unit of ECOWAS Commission, the meeting is in line with the directive of the 40th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held in Abuja last week.   

 The statement reads: “A preparatory meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) is to take place at the ECOWAS Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja on Thursday, 23rd February 2012.”

“The session will prepare a comprehensive brief for a full CCDS meeting to be held soon in accordance with the directive of the just-concluded 40th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

“The Authority directed the CCDS to review the emerging security threats in the Sahel region and the Gulf of Guinea, and propose concrete recommendations to address them.”

“Five Member States, Benin, Mali, Niger and Nigeria as well as Cote d’Ivoire which is participating in its capacity as the new Chairman, will attend the preparatory meeting.” 

Nigeria and Britain yesterday said they were committed to the war against terrorism.

Presidential spokesman, Dr. Rueben Abati, in a statement, said President Godluck Jonathan and British Prime Minister David Cameron met in London.

Jonathan, according to Abati, said Nigeria would continue to collaborate with Britain and other friendly nations in the prosecution of the war against terrorism.

Cameron said it “was a huge pleasure and honour” for him to welcome Jonathan to No. 10 Downing for the talks on Somalia. He pledged that Britain would continue to work with the Jonathan Administration on the “shared agenda of vigorously tackling terrorism and international security issues”. 

SOURCE: The Nation, 23 February 2012. http://www.thenationonlineng.net