Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) – Member countries of the African Union (AU) must act now and collectively against the progressing threat of terrorism perpetrated by Boko Haram in West Africa, AU Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said Monday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“What started off as a localized criminal gang [in Nigeria] is now spreading into West and Central Africa,” she said. “This is not just a threat to some countries. It is a threat to the whole continent. It is a global threat that must be met globally, but with Africa in the lead.”
Addressing the 26th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council, the Chairperson said that she was “deeply horrified by the tragedy Boko Haram continue to inflict on our people, kidnapping young girls from school, torching villages, terrorizing whole communities and the senseless killing. We should all declare this state of affairs as unacceptable!”
She thanked Chad for its readiness to assist Cameroon in fight against the insurgents, noting that the AUC has accelerated its ongoing consultations with member states, the regional economic communities and other partners on how to deal with Boko Haram.
