NIGERIA: Security Council condemns Boko Haram attacks in northeast Nigeria, Chad

The members of the United Nations Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the spate of recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and Chad. In a press statement, Council members extended their condolences to the families of the victims and their sympathy to all those injured in the attacks in Kwajafa, Borno state, Nigeria, on 5 April, and in Tchoukou Telia, Chad, on 3 April 2015, and reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international humanitarian law and refugee law. They also reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the actions of Boko Haram constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whosoever committed. Members stressed that it should be combated by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter. The Council’s press statement urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and their members to adopt a common strategy and develop active cooperation and coordination to more effectively and urgently combat the threat posed by Boko Haram at their upcoming Summit. It also stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to successfully combat Boko Haram and the threat it poses to the region and added that members welcomed the convening of a Joint ECOWAS-ECCAS experts meeting in Douala, Cameroon on 2 April 2015 as a step towards achieving this goal of enhanced cooperation.