LAGOS, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to fight the extremist group Boko Haram Tuesday called on Lake Chad basin member-countries to strengthen collaboration to wipe out insurgents and protect the livelihood of citizens in the area.
Member-countries must see that the common enemy, the insurgents, is taken out, Theater Commander of the force, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, said in Abuja, Nigeria's capital.
He spoke at the ongoing international conference on Lake Chad aimed at creating global awareness on the socio-economic and environmental challenges arising from the shrinking lake.
The Lake Chad basin member-countries include Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Libya, Niger and Nigeria.
He said the force was carrying out multi-sectorial engagements to ensure that no new recruitment into violent, extremist groups take place at the region due to poverty and unemployment.
Irabor said the force would continue to create awareness on the dangers of violent extremism through partnerships with relevant stakeholders.
He said the benefits of the conference would be an opportunity to bring the issues to the fore and for all stakeholders to support all efforts to see that the lake was restored.
Irabor also said the command would continue its support to military authorities in the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) states in the ongoing clearance operations to root out remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents.
The MNJTF with headquarters in Ndjemena, Chad was constituted by LCBC states to fight Boko Haram insurgency.
Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths in Nigeria since 2009. The group, which has wreaked havoc through a wave of bombings, assassinations and abductions, is fighting to overthrow the Nigerian government and create an Islamic state.
