Nigerian leader to UN: No need for international force to fight Boko Haram
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nigeria's leader has told the United Nations not to focus on deploying an international force to fight Boko Haram but instead help victims of its terror.
Outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan spoke at a meeting Thursday with the U.N. special representative for West Africa.
Nigeria is accused of blocking a strong U.N. Security Council mandate to deploy a regional force against Boko Haram.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jonathan said the U.N. intervention should not be based on military enforcement but regional promotion of peace and security.
African civil society groups, concerned by reports of abuses by troops from Nigeria and Cameroon, have called for the mandate to include strong provisions to safeguard human rights.
Chad complained last month that everyone except Nigeria wants to invoke Chapter 7 of the U.N. mandate, allowing military enforcement.