French president proposes tackling corruption to better fight terrorism

French President Francois Hollande has said terrorism is thriving because it is “feeding on all the weaknesses of the financial system”.

Speaking at a press interaction in Nigeria where he is attending a security summit on terrorism, the French leader said “we therefore have to fight corruption, the underground economy as well as tax havens” these he said would impact the ability of terrorists “to finance arms trafficking as well as terror attacks”.

#Bokoharam: President Hollande in #Nigeria for a security summit https://t.co/pb6SmsDDtm pic.twitter.com/yNyT1yzZbh

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The security summit, hosted by Nigeria, is being attended by the leaders of Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon and Niger.

The summit is expected to develop strategies to fight Boko Haram.

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Bukari conceded that Nigeria had issues with its borders and controlling Boko Haram’s international links with Islamic State.

“We were not bothered initially of what international connection Boko Haram has until they claimed that they are loyal to ISIS and then what happened in Libya and the spill over in the Sahel in terms of trained personnel and weapons. We know our problems may last longer than we thought, because at least with our neighbours we have more than 1,500 kilometres neighbourhood. Now in an area where donkeys, oxen, camels can cross any time of the day, it is not easy to guard that border” he said.

Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009, attacking towns and villages mostly in the northern parts of Nigeria.

The militants have killed thousands of people in their bid to instill sharia law across the north of Nigeria. Several thousands have also fled their homes in the north and are now living in camps.

The militants group in April 2014, abducted over 200 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok prompting international outrage.

Reuters