Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger have agreed to quickly form a new force that would comprise 2,800 soldiers to fight the Boko Haram insurgents.
The defence ministers of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger said they would each contribute 700 troops to the force.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, Niger’s Defence Minister, Karidio Mahamadou, said they were determined to “eradicate this curse”.
Boko Haram’s insurgency is focused on Nigeria, but it has carried out some cross-border raids.
It was suspected of blowing up the Ngala bridge, which lies on a key transport link between north-eastern Nigeria and Cameroon, on Wednesday.
Cars and lorries loaded with goods are stranded on the highway, residents told the BBC.
The regional defence ministers met in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Wednesday, to hold further discussions on the growing threat posed by Boko Haram…
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