Defence: Discipline, fight against Boko Haram priorities for 2016

The Cameroon defence forces will intensify the fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram in the course of the year 2016.

Priority will be given to the fight against terrorism which has led to the death of scores of Cameroonian military and civilians despite major victories that has reduced the operational capacity of the terrorist movement.

In order to attain the objective, the military hierarchy has recommended discipline within the ranks of the army.

The Defence Chief of Staff, Lt General Rene Claude Meka presented the agenda of Cameroon’s defence forces for 2016 during a new year wishes ceremony at the Ministry Head Quarters in Yaoundé.

During the event he strongly condemned September 9, 2015, protest match staged by some soldiers who were part of the Cameroon contingent of the stabilisation mission in the Central African Republic.

He described the demonstrations on the streets of Yaoundé as an unimaginable gross violation of the statutory text of regulating Cameroon’s defence forces. Lt General Rene Claude Meka in this light called on senior military officers to severely sanction all forms of indiscipline within the Cameroon army.

“Pirate attacks, incursions in the East region resulting from the instability in the Central African Republic are not as preoccupying as the fight against Boko Haram which is now asymmetric” the defence chief of staff noted.

The enemy’s firepower has been seriously weakened and they have now resorted to suicide attacks. We don’t know when the war will end but we have upgraded our resources, logistics and equipment to efficiently eradicate the terrorist, he added.

The Defence Chief of Staff used the occasion to salute the bravery of vigilante groups that have worked alongside the defence forces to thwart attacks by the terrorists.

The ceremony which ended with a common meal began with a review of the just ended year by the deputy Army Chief of staff.