Some Countries In Lake Chad Basin Thought Insurgency Was Only Nigeria’s Problem, Never Knew It Was Regional Threat – Ex-COAS, Dambazau

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Abdurrahman Dambazau, has reacted to the current security challenge confronting Nigeria.

Ex-COAS, Dambazau Reacts To Insecurity In Nigeria, West Africa

Dambazau asserted that the country’s insurgency has gone beyond being a threat to only Nigeria as it now affects about 15 countries in West Africa including Benin Republic.

He stated this during an interview with Channels Television’s current affairs programme, NewsNight.

“This (insecurity) has become a regional issue because it is an issue that has engulfed the whole of the Lake Chad Basin region and it is an issue that also has connection with the Sahel region as a whole.

“It is a regional issue and even Benin (Republic), our neighbour is getting a touch of it.”

Dambazau, who was COAS from August 2008 to September 2010 and Nigeria’s Minister of Interior between November 2015 and May 2019, said at first, the countries in the Lake Chad Basin such as Chad and Niger Republic thought terrorism was Nigeria’s challenge until recently.

“Initially, some of those countries in the Lake Chad Basin did not show much concern about it, that it was Nigeria’s problem until it became very much a reality that it was a regional problem.”

He, however, said the countries have now joined the fight against terrorism through the Multinational Joint Task Force established by the Nigerian Government to checkmate trans-border security challenges.

“Even Benin Republic which is not a member of the Lake Chad Basin Commission is contributing towards that because it is also a threat to it. It is a threat to the whole of West Africa,” the ex-Army chief said.

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily had reported that Boko Haram’s Chief Executioner who killed over 1000 captured soldiers and civilians surrendered to the Army