Buhari extends G7 requests on Boko Haram to LCBC

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday that he had extended the invitation to submit requests of the needs of the country in the fight against Boko Haram asked by the G7 to member nations of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

Buhari said this while fielding questions from newsmen at the presentation of the communiqué of the meeting of the Presidents and Heads of Government of the LCBC in Abuja.

“I was personally invited by G7 and I was impressed by the tremendous sympathy they have for this sub region: LCBC.

“Their humanitarian approach to the issue to say the least is very impressive. All of them, not just in Europe but Presidents Barack Obama, Angela Markel of Germany and Hollande of France are all willing to help us.

“They have actually asked me to discuss with their Chiefs of Defence Staff or their Ministries of Defence or to talk to them directly on what we need.

“I brought this case to our meeting here and I told them that Nigeria has worked quite far and I asked for a five-hour meeting with my service chiefs and I asked them to produce a comprehensive logistic requirement.

“I also advised my colleagues that they should be prepared to produce their logistic requirements.

“But after the African Union meeting, we will agree on what to present to the G7. They are very anxious to help us, especially when Boko Haram declared their loyalty to ISIS.

“You know what ISIS is doing to the world, not only to the Gulf states but to the Middle East.’’

Buhari also said the cross border war against insurgency was not limited by troops fighting in their respective territories as Chad and Niger soldiers were already in Nigeria to flush out the insurgents.

He said the foreign troops had chased out Boko Haram and secured Nigerian territories.

He also said that the troops of the joint command were dedicated to the operations and commended their efforts.

The President said that his administration would sustain the peace in the country after the war on insurgency but appealed to those displaced by the insurgency to return to their communities for rehabilitation.

He added that Churches, Mosques and shops destroyed would be rehabilitated as well by the administration.

The President also said that the military was investigating the alleged human rights abuses levelled against the Nigerian Armed Forces by Amnesty International.