OUR SOLDIERS CAN’T PURSUE B/HARAM TO CAMEROON: JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Nigerian military cannot move to Cameroon in pursuit of Boko Haram insurgents who often cross border to attack Nigerian communities. The president said this in Paris Saturday at a press conference organised to conclude the regional summit on security in Nigeria. According to him, when the insurgents cross the border to attack communities and run back to Cameroon, the Nigerian military cannot move beyond its borders to Cameroon without taking special permission. Jonathan further explained that during operations, there was no room for Nigerian soldiers to take permission to enter Cameroon. The president, however, noted that this was not a state policy, but in respect of international boundaries. He said: “Because most of these communities that are being devastated by Boko Haram happen to be Nigerian communities at the Cameroon border...So when they cross the border and devastate communities, and run back to Cameroon; internationally, Nigerian military cannot move into Cameroon except you take special permission. And of course, during operations, there is no room for you to take permission to enter...It’s not a state policy, but it’s in respect of international boundaries.” Affirming that Nigeria and Cameroon had a robust relationship, Jonathan said since the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency, Cameroon had been intercepting weapons being brought in for terror operations in Nigeria.