By Umaru Sanda Amadu
ACCRA, GHANA
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) will meet next month to discuss cooperation in tackling the Boko Haram militant group, which is terrorizing Nigeria and its neighbors.
"In pursuance of lasting peace and security within ECOWAS and ECCAS, the two chairmen agreed to the holding of a joint summit between the two regional blocs on April 7 and 8, 2015, to define a common strategy in their fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group," read a communiqué issued after a meeting between Ghanaian President John Mahama and Chadian counterpart Idriss Déby.
The two leaders hold the rotating presidencies of ECOWAS and ECCAS respectively.
"The summit will be preceded by a meeting of experts on March 21 and a ministerial meeting on March 23," said the 14-point communiqué.
Nigeria is fighting a six-year Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over one million people from the northeastern region, where the militants have been the most ruthless.
Last year, Boko Haram went from attacking communities and planting bombs to capturing entire towns.
In mid-2014, the group declared a self-styled "Islamic caliphate" in areas under its control, with its headquarters in Borno State's town of Gwoza.
But the Nigerian military, aided by new weapons and support from neighboring Chad, Niger and Cameroon, has since liberated most of the towns from militants' control.
Presidents Mahama and Déby challenged ECOWAS and ECCAS member states "to reinforce surveillance in their respective territories, sensitize their nationals, reduce risks of infiltration by Boko Haram members inside their national borders, and work to eradicate the insurgents' supply networks."
They also called for the "total support and understanding of the international community" in respect to the activities of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin, which is currently fighting Boko Haram.
Mahama commended Déby, his government, the people of Chad and the Chadian armed forces for their "leadership role in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon."
