West African Countries waging a regional fight against the terrorist Boko Haram group will take significant steps towards establishing a joint task force when they meet on Thursday in Abuja, Benin’s president, Boni Yayi said.

Nigeria’s neighbours have been urging closer coordination and the deployment of a joint task force, headquartered in the Chadian capital N’Djamena. A Nigerian military officer, Maj. General Baratai was named last week as head of the task force.

Benin’s Thomas Boni Yayi said the new Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, was “very determined”.

“The discussions we have had with him reassure us,” he told reporters after talks with French President Francois Hollande in Paris. “We are going to put an end to this odious phenomenon … This summit will be decisive.”

The defence chiefs of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin were meeting in Abuja today to lay the groundwork for the task force.

Benin has not deployed any troops against Boko Haram yet, but has agreed in principle to join the force.

Yayi Boni said this could begin once the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution, which has been in discussion for several months, endorsing the mission.

“These are international rules and, once it is passed, there won’t be any more obstacles,” he said.

*Reuters/NAN