Nigeria To Lead 5 African Countries In Fight Against Boko Haram

Five African countries have agreed to set up a joint military force led by Nigeria to fight the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

The leaders reached the deal at a summit hosted by Nigeria's new president Muhammadu Buhari, who made tackling it a key campaign pledge.

Most of the troops will be from Nigeria with Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin also contributing.

Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds kidnapped by the group.

The decision that the force should be led by a Nigerian commander came after Mr Buhari rejected calls for leadership to rotate between the countries.

But the leaders agreed the force would be based in the Chadian capital, N'djamena, rather than Baga in northeast Nigeria.