The base of a multi-national military offensive against Boko Haram will cost some $30 million over the next year, according to the head of a regional security group.
“The total amount required to set up and sustain the MNJTF headquarters for the next 12 months is about $30 million (27 million euros),” said Sanusi Imran Abdullahi, head of the Lake Chad Basin Commission security group that includes Nigeria and neighbours.
“The troop-contributing countries are responsible for equipping and sustenance of their battalion.”
The troops are tasked with fighting Boko Haram. The insurgents have killed more than 15,000 people since the violent campaign started in 2009. The group has also killed 109 peoplle since President Muhammadu Buhari took over on May 29.
Abdullahi said it was crucial to quickly deploy the force to “sustain the offensive on the Boko Haram terrorist group who should not be given the time and space to regroup, as this may constitute a much more potent threat than we witnessed.”
He therefore appealed to other regional groupings to contribute resources to help fight the insurgency.