Following the security summit hosted by France at the weekend to stem the activities of the terror group, Boko Haram, the United Kingdom (UK) will host a follow up meeting at the ministerial level to review the progress made on the action plan agreed to on Saturday by eight countries and the European Union (EU) to counter the terrorist organisation.

This information was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, which was presided over by French President Francois Hollade, and had in attendance Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic, President Paul Biya of Cameroun, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, President Idriss Deby of Chad and representatives from the United States, UK and the EU.

It added that countries are to establish an intelligence-pooling unit, create a dedicated team to identify means of implementation and draw up, during a second phase, a regional counter-terrorism strategy in the framework of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

It said: “The United States, the United Kingdom, France and the European Union will coordinate their support for this regional cooperation through technical expertise, training programmes and support for the border area management programmes."

The participants are committed to "accelerating the implementation of international sanctions against Boko Haram, Ansaru and their main leaders, within the United Nations framework as a priority."

France, US, Britain and the EU also pledged to mobilise donors in support of programmes fostering social and economic development of the regions concerned with particular emphasis on gender equality and the rights of women and girls.

The participants agreed that the UK would host a follow-up meeting next month at ministerial level to review the progress on this action plan. They have agreed to institute sanctions against Boko Haram and Ansaru within the framework of the United Nations.

At the end of the summit, Nigeria and its neighbours agreed to build analysis and response capabilities that will contribute to enhancing the security of all populations and the rule of law in the areas affected by Boko Haram's terrorist acts.

In order to combat the insurgents' threat, which manifested through several murderous attacks and the abduction of more than 270 schoolgirls, Nigeria and its neighbours have decided to immediately, on a bilateral basis, implement coordinated patrols with the aim of combating Boko Haram and locating the Chibok girls.

Former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy on Education, Mr. Gordon Brown, has announced that one million people have now signed petitions, and a month from now, on June 16, the International Day of the African Child, there will be vigils in every continent of the world for the 200 plus schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.

“In 20 countries, young people will take over national parliaments to highlight the girls’ fate – and that of the 57 million other children who cannot go to school,” he said.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Brown said the Nigerian government and the country’s citizens deserve the fullest international support in tackling terrorism, noting: “They have been victims of a massive but underreported effort by a few extremists to split the country.

Two weeks ago, in Abuja, Boko Haram bombed and killed dozens. In the past four years, the group’s attacks on Nigerians have taken more than 4,000 lives, including 171 teachers massacred in separate incidents in Borno State. Only two months ago, seven teachers were assassinated, and their family members, including wives and children, were abducted.

“None of us can stand by and endlessly witness schools shut down, girls cut off from education, and parents living in fear for their daughters’ lives.

“Those who murder or abduct children should be made aware that international authorities will punish them. And, while we cannot end terrorism overnight, we can show determination to stand up to it by making schools safe. Every child is precious, and every child deserves the right to learn.”

He added that under the Safe Schools Initiative launched during the World Economic Forum on Africa, the promoters led by Nigerian businessmen plan to rebuild the girls’ own school in Chibok and to make the roughly 5,000 schools in northern Nigerian safe from terrorist attacks.

However, he said in the short term, Nigeria needs to make its schools safer and more secure from terrorist attacks, and a safe-schools plan is being created by the Nigerian authorities to ensure that girls no longer fear going to school in the country’s six North-east states.

“Guards, fortifications, and communications equipment must be installed. And, in the longer term, the authorities must craft a new plan to educate Nigeria’s ten million out-of-school girls and boys,” he said.